PC 111214 - Laserfiche WebLink

Ms. Steiner stated that one of the reasons they purchased the house was because Ray Martin did say it was going to be single story, and they were larger than average lots for Pleasanton. She mentioned that Mr. Martin built approximately 30+ homes there, and then he ran into financial difficulties, the real estate market went down, and he starting selling off lots, some of which were bought by speculative builders who built speculative homes. She noted that her experience working with her immediate neighbors on that side and the builders was phenomenal. She stated that when they were going to build on those lots, they did not go to the City first; they came to her with plans showing what they were proposing. She added that after the homes were built and one of her neighbors wanted to change something on her house, she came to her first before going to the City; and in the same fashion, when she was adding a window on the side of her house, she went to her neighbor first, and everything was fine. She indicated that this was the way their neighborhood worked and it is very, very sad that Mr. Miller's parents, when the property went to his son, never ever came to any of the neighbors, who were not given any notification either. Ms. Steiner stated that there was a realtor- deve lope r in the area, whose cousin wanted to build condominiums on the land outside of Rosepointe, and the whole neighborhood was called together; the neighbors said that they did not want condominiums, the realtor- developer listened, and now there are three two -story homes there. She added that she did not receive any notification for the Administrative Design Review application for homes on Hanover Court and on Amber Lane because she did not in the immediate neighborhood, but her neighbor did and told her about it. She stated that she understood that windows are not supposed to look over into the neighbor's yard, but this was the most atrocious - looking second -floor addition, a very contemporary- looking piece on a little ranch -style home; and to the credit of the later buyers, they looked at the house and wanted to redo it to more reflect the neighborhood. Ms. Steiner stated that these are the most difficult decisions that the Planning Commission and staff actually have to make, and she urged them to go out, look at that neighborhood, and see it is ranch, contemporary, and low, and that the split - levels are there because of the contours of the land. She asked the Commission to either send it back and have them come and work with the neighborhood in a meaningful way, or deny it because the neighbors certainly were never approached, and that has not been the history of her neighborhood. George Schmitt stated, with respect to his not talking to any of his neighbors, that he had plenty of communication with Ms. Bengtson before he even started the first set of plans on the house. He indicated that he told her they were doing an addition, and she had responded that she would not object if it was not too much. He noted that he told her they met with staff and were modifying the plans to address her view concerns, which they did and increased her view. He added that he showed her the plans and the overlay. Mr. Schmitt stated that Ms. Steiner talks to Ms. Bengtson everyday, so it was not by chance that Ms. Steiner found out he was doing the addition. He noted that when Mr. Toms moved into the area in the late 1980's, all the two -story homes already existed, and he did not think then that they were not part of his neighborhood, as he does now because he is opposed to the Schmitts' second -story addition. PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, November 12, 2014 Page 13 of 35