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MEETING OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 7. Public Comment— None PUBLIC HEARINGS AND OTHER MATTERS 8. Continued from January 17, 2012 - Public Hearing: P11-0709/P11-0717, Brian and Christine Bourg (Appellants); Dave Cunningham (Applicant) — Consider an appeal of a Planning Commission decision approving a Design Review to replace the approx. 482 sq. ft., single-story house at 205 Neal Street with an approximately 1,844 sq. ft. two-story residence and Variances to: (1) reduce the front yard setback from the required 23 feet to 20 feet to accommodate the new house; (2) allow one required off-street parking space to be located in the required front yard setback; and (3) allow tandem parking Community Development Director Brian Dolan gave the staff presentation, referring to a location map and briefly describing the subject site and details of the two residences. The proposal is to transform the small home at 205 Neal Street into a significantly larger home. It is one lot but sits at two different levels and from the street, but appears as if there are two lots. In considering the proposal, staff determined whether the small home had historic significance. As required by the Downtown Specific Plan (DSP), a professional consultant evaluated the site and, after review, concluded it did not. Therefore, policies as outlined in the DSP allowed the City to entertain transformation of the home. The application has a fairly significant history in terms of processing. Staff was first presented with a preliminary application in March 2009. The original home proposed was 1,200 square feet. In response to staff comments, 3 additional plans were presented at square footages of 1,752, 1,817, and 1,800, and in August 2011, staff received the first formal application. A revision on November 9, 2011 was submitted and the application which is currently before the Council was received on November 30, 2011. Staff has had some fairly significant revisions with this current application towards the end of the process, which he said will be described later in the report. Three variances are required in order for the City to approve the project; the first 2 relate to the parking situation. The house is proposed to have a single car garage included in the main house structure and it would then require the second space to be behind it on the driveway in a tandem type situation. While this is not allowed in the code; however, it is a condition that exists with great frequency in the downtown. The second variance required is because the City does not typically allow required parking to be in the front yard setback and this is what is proposed. Councilmember McGovern referred to the front yard setback being 20 feet. She said it looks as though there is a deck in front of the house and questioned if it was in the setback. Mr. Dolan said this is correct. Councilmember McGovern asked why the setback was not measured from the front of the porch. Mr. Dolan said there is a different setback requirement for a porch. He confirmed the distance from the deck to the sidewalk is 12 feet. The variance being requested is supposed to be 23 feet. The applicants are asking for 3 feet in the front. Councilmember McGovern voiced surprise with the porch not being counted as part of the house, and Mr. Dolan noted that porches are addressed differently. Vice Mayor Cook-Kallio questioned and confirmed that the setback allowance for the porch is 12 feet. Mr. Dolan added that the variance being requested is the difference between 20 feet to the house and the requirement of 23 feet. Mr. Dolan then presented a display of the proposed home in relationship to the existing home, and said even those who have opposed the home did not have strong objection to the architecture. And, in fact, they were complimentary that the design was a traditional Craftsmen style. Those opposed indicated City Council Minutes Page 7 of 25 February 7, 2012