PC 041316 - Laserfiche WebLink

Jenny Soo presented the staff report and described the scope, layout, and key elements of the proposal. Chair Ritter: Okay, any questions before we have speakers? Commissioner Balch: The filled area or driveway area, is all of that fill within the building envelope area? Soo: Yes. Commissioner Balch: I thought so, I just wanted to clarify, so it does stick within that area? Soo: It's here, yes. Commissioner Balch: Okay that's what I wanted to ask. Thank you. Chair Ritter: And then the applicant has agreed with the special conditions that you've stated? Soo: We talked about it. The architect didn't give me a definite answer but he said, "okay, if that's what staff asked" and I said yes. THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS OPENED Chair Ritter: Okay, we'll hear from the applicant first. Thanks for coming. Frank Berlogar, Applicant: My name's Frank Berlogar. Chairman Ritter and members of the Commission, thank you for the chance to talk with you tonight. You know, I actually think the design is a great design and has a lot of pluses and I don't see any negatives, but let me walk you through my line of reasoning about the design guidelines and the architect who wrote those who has reviewed the plans and approved the design, and his comment was he liked this design better than the other one because he felt this one really got it right. The size of the house is 25 percent smaller than allowed. The height of the house is only 32 feet with 40 feet allowed. In the staff report they indicated 40 feet, but the height is 32 feet, so the house is smaller visually and eight feet lower than required by the design guidelines. The house has 400 feet of private drive behind the gate that the City requires. The closest neighbor is 300 feet away. The only traffic that goes by this house is people going to the upper house. There is no public access, nobody gets close, and so the impact is all from a distance. The driveway serving the two homes is 16 -feet wide so with the circular driveway, there is the opportunity for guests and visitors to this house to drive up, park in that circular driveway and then exit. But with the 30 -foot configuration, one car pretty much blocks the garage area and the access in and out for other vehicles. So that means by- and -large all guests must park down on the 16 -foot private drive and then the cars line up broadside to my neighbors. The point that is not well understood is that without the additional fill and retaining walls, that portion of the PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, April 13, 2016 Page 14 of 33