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Regarding historical significance, Mr. Cunningham stated that he is a firm believer in preserving the historical homes Downtown which 215 Neal is, but the converted garage is not. He noted that a historical study was performed, and the findings indicate that the building remodel for human occupancy was modified to a point where it could no longer be identified as a historic building. He added that when residents talk about Downtown revitalization, this is what they are talking about. He indicated that he wants to maintain the integrity and vitality of the Downtown, and this new home will do that. As regards the concern about shadowing, Mr. Cunningham presented a Google Earth picture taken at 9:00 a.m. which shows 215 Neal Street; 205 Neal Street is under the palm trees. He noted that what are creating shadows are all the palm trees right in the own backyard and a couple of large trees in front of 215 Neal Street. He pointed out that the sun was very low, and the shade is on their back yard without the proposed house being there. He indicated that the rear portion of the roofline of the single-story structure will be just a bit taller than what exists today. He added that the tree that is creating most of the shade in the backyard is the large tree in front of 215 Neal Street, along with the tree in their backyard, whose branches are hanging over his property line and which, if trimmed, would allow more sun into their backyard. With respect to privacy considerations, Mr. Cunningham stated that they were really critical when they designed this house. He indicated that the two windows at the front of the home are at the six-foot level, and there are no rooms with views from the second story looking over int. He noted that current vegetation also exists between the two homes and provides privacy. He added that the rear deck originally proposed looked into the back of 4524 Second Street was removed, and the master bedroom was relocated to the front of the house, with only one window located six feet above the vanity to provide some light into the master bathroom. Mr. Cunningham stated that there was also a concern that the tree in the rear yard in the adjacent home on Second Street would be impacted by the remodel. He noted that a horticulturist examined this and indicated that the trunk of the tree is 19 feet from the property line and that there would be little or no impact to the health of that tree. He With regard to size, Mr. Cunningham stated that his calculation of the FAR is 36 percent. He indicated that he recognizes what Mr. Dolan is saying but stated that the two lots cannot be separated. He noted that if he wanted to build a big home in the center of the property, he could do it with all the square footage, but it would not look half as nice as what is being proposed here; and if he connected the two homes, it would probably be approved. He stated that the distance from his house to the neighbor on one side is 39 feet and 13.5 feet to the neighbor on the other side. He added that the distance between two other houses in the neighborhood is also 39 feet. Mr. Cunningham stated that that he walked up and down the neighborhood and spoke to many people about his proposal, all of whom were supportive and wanted to see PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, November 9, 2011 Page 13 of 29