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Chair Allen inquired if this new design would then preclude someone from looking into the neighboring home. Ms. Wallis replied that it was the assumption as the neighbors' home lines up with the existing home on this site so it would be farther back; the balcony is towards the center of the property, and somebody standing on the balcony would not be able to look directly around this building and down onto this house. She added that the only other location that people potentially could look out would be from the bedroom window or as they are walking up the stairs into their front door. Mr. Weinstein stated that Ms. Wallis and other staff worked extensively with the applicant to revise the initial iteration of the project that was submitted, which actually was a three -story building where Building 1 is right now. He added that the buildings are substantially reduced in mass from what was initially proposed. Commissioner O'Connor inquired if that three -story configuration would have met the height requirement. Mr. Weinstein replied that the height requirement is 40 feet. He stated that there are policies in the Downtown Specific Plan that suggest that buildings should be two stories in height at max, and this building at 20 feet here is well below that 40 feet maximum height. Commissioner Ritter noted that it sounds like the issue with the neighbors' concern is mostly Building 1. He inquired if there are any restrictions for the applicant to build a second story on the existing house as well. Ms. Wallis replied that there are currently no restrictions to build a second story due to the parking requirements and Conditions of Approval that require the existing home to maintain a maximum of two bedrooms; hence, the applicant could technically add onto the first home, but they could not add bedrooms. Commissioner Ritter inquired if that is the reason the applicant is doing Building 1 instead of making their existing house bigger. Ms. Wallis said yes. Mr. Weinstein added that there is also a policy in the Specific Plan that promote retention of the existing streetscape as well, and so keeping the one single -story single - family residential building in the front of the project site is something that achieves that policy. Commissioner O'Connor inquired if that policy is mandatory or recommended. Mr. Weinstein replied that it is actually in the Downtown Design Guidelines. PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, July 22, 2015 Page 6 of 15