Previous Hearing: The following are recommendations made by the Planning Commission at the November 14, 2018 Planning Commission meeting, followed by a staff response of how the applicant has revised the design to comply with the recommendations. Additionally, the architect has submitted a response to each requirement included as Attachment 5.
1. Prior to final Planning Commission review, the applicant shall work with staff and the neighbor to identify a specific alternate location for the required upper-canopy tree on the landscape plan that is less impactful to the view.
Staff Response: The applicant has worked with the Forestry Department and the east neighbor and is proposing to plant a Monterey cypress in the northwest corner of the property. This location is near an existing upper-canopy tree on the north neighbor's property and would minimize impacts to the east neighbor’s view across the property to the ocean. The City Forester is supportive of this location for the tree (refer to Attachment 4, Condition No. 26).
2. The applicant shall ensure that the footing for the deck and stairway on either side of the oak tree shall be located at least 6 feet back from the base of the tree. Show the footing location on the plans.
Staff Response: The applicant is proposing to use helical piers to support the deck and steps. The City Forster has reviewed and supports this proposal, stating that the installation of these piers would be less impactful to the oak tree than standard footings. Consequently, the Forester will allow these piers to be at least 4 feet (instead of 6 feet) back from the base of the tree. Staff has drafted a condition of approval reflecting this requirement (refer to Attachment 4, Condition No. 27).
3. The applicant shall plant adequate vegetation to shield the 14-foot span of kitchen windows on the south elevation of the residence. A vegetation type shall be used behind the garage that has an average height of approximately 12-14 feet in height to protect the view shed over the garage.
Staff Response: The applicant is proposing to construct a 6-foot high wood fence along the south property line. Additionally, the applicant is proposing to plant Pacific Reed Grass, which has an average height of 3 feet, clustered adjacent to the south-facing kitchen windows behind the garage (refer to Attachment 9, sheet L-1 of the plan set). Finally, the applicant is proposing one blue tree Yucca which the applicant states has an average height of 12 feet. Since the Pacific Reed Grass will not reach the height of the kitchen windows, in staff's opinion, one tree is not sufficient to adequately shield the residence's south-facing kitchen windows from the south neighbor. Staff has drafted a Condition of Approval requiring that additional shrubs be planted along the south fence line to provide additional privacy shielding (refer to Attachment 4, Condition No. 28).
4. Prior to final planning commission review, the applicant shall submit the decibel level information for the proposed air conditioning unit and propose noise shrouding for the unit.
Staff Response: The applicant has provided the product information for the proposed air conditioning unit which identifies a maximum sound level of 66 decibels at the unit (refer to Attachment 6). Using 66 decibels as the baseline, the applicant utilized an online decibel calculator to calculate the anticipated drop in noise over the distance to the west and south property lines (refer to the decibel calculations in Attachment 6). Using this online calculator, the architect extrapolated an estimated decibel level at the south property line of 44.4 dB and at the west property line of 49.1 dB. According to CMC 1728.020, the Municipal Code allows up to 60 dB. Since these noise levels comply with the Municipal Code's maximum allowance, the distance of the air conditioning unit from the west and south property lines appears to be sufficient.
Additionally, the architect is proposing to install optional rubber isolators to minimize the transmission of energy into the mounting frame and pad, thereby reducing the noise transmitted from the unit. Finally, the architect is proposing to shroud the air conditioning unit with a 3'-3" high solid wood fence immediately surrounding the unit and matching the proposed fence (refer to the site plan in Attachment 9 on sheet A1.1). With the implementation of these mitigation measures, staff can support the installation of the proposed air conditioning unit.
5. Incorporate more natural materials into the design.
6. Revise the color of the design to be more muted and compatible with the other residences and the forest character of the block.
Staff Response: The applicant has revised the exterior finishes and colors to include the replacement of the grey stucco siding with light brown cedar siding on the second-story loft and the first-story master bedroom suite. In addition, the dark grey siding on bedroom #1 will be replaced with light tan stucco siding with brown trim around the windows and support beams. Finally, the grey stucco garage will be replaced with grey/brown ledger stone. However, staff notes that the stone does not wrap around the south side of the garage. The Residential Design Guidelines require that stonework appear structural. Staff has drafted a condition of approval that the applicant shall either wrap stone around the front, south side and rear of the garage, wrap a stone wainscot around the front, south side and rear of the garage, or choose a different natural siding material for the entire garage (refer to Attachment 4, Condition No. 29).
In staff’s opinion, the revised color scheme, wood siding and stone veneer is more compatible with the forest character and neighborhood context (refer to the 3D renderings in Attachment 9).
7. The Metacryllics roof that will be under the gravel top coat shall be a grey or brown color and not white to prevent light reflection.
Staff Response: The roof will be a Metacrylics roof, tan in color and covered by a grey gravel ballast (refer to Attachment 7 and Attachment 9, Sheet A2.1).
8. All windows on the upper-floor loft shall have non-reflective glass.
Staff Response: A note has been included on sheet A2.0 that All upper-floor windows will have non-reflective glass (refer to Attachment 9, Sheet A2.0).
9. Reduce the number of lights that are proposed outdoors. Per CMC 15.36.070, all exterior lighting attached to the main building shall be no higher than 10 feet above the walking surface.
Staff Response: The applicant is proposing to install16 total light fixtures which is a reduction of 7 fixtures from the November Planning Commission meeting. 7 (refer to Attachment 9, sheets A1.1 and L2). The applicant is proposing 5 down-facing LED wall lights at the front of the property, one recessed LED light over the front porch, a light outside bedroom #2 at the rear of the residence, two wall-mounted, LED step lights on either side of the living-room door on the north elevation, four wall lights at the rear deck, and three path lights in the northwest, rear yard, spaced ten feet apart (refer to item #9 in Attachment 5, the applicant’s response letter). The wall lights are 52 lumens per fixture and comply with the City’s landscape lighting requirements of 225 lumens per fixture. Additionally, all exterior lighting complies with the 10-foot mounting height standard as most lights are step lights and the lighting under the eaves at the north deck area was removed.
10. The Planning Commission advised the applicant to revisit the comments from the public at the November Planning Commission meeting in regard to the compatibility and style of the residence.
Staff Response: The applicant reviewed the notes and audio from the November Planning Commission meeting and revised the finish materials and colors per the comments received (refer to item 10 in Attachment 5).
11. Consider connecting the design to the character of the block and forest by bringing in some architectural elements from residences on the block, but treating these architectural forms in a contemporary manner.
Staff Response: The applicant has submitted photographs of other residences with contemporary designs that utilize architectural elements present in the applicant’s design in order to blend with their surrounding neighborhoods (refer to Attachment 8).
At the October and November 2018 meetings, several neighbors expressed concern that the proposed design would not be compatible with the neighborhood. Nonetheless, the majority of the Commission was supportive of the design, as proposed. The architect has revised the color and siding materials of the proposal and has submitted a response letter, included as Attachment 5, with a summary of the changes made to the design in response to the feedback from the public and the Commission. The architect has changed the color pallet of the residence to brown and tan earth tones, and ledger stone on the garage, which is more muted than the previously-proposed grey and dark grey color pallet. Additionally, the applicant demonstrates that the revised materials are similar to that used on other residences in the vicinity of the project (refer to Attachment 8).
The Residential Design Guidelines promote diversity in architectural styles, while also respecting neighborhood context and character. Consistent with this objective, contemporary architecture adds diversity and is, therefore, appropriate, but should be expressed in a manner that achieves neighborhood compatibility. While this residence will be the first on this block to have a contemporary style, the introduction of natural siding materials, increases the residence’s compatibility with the surrounding forest character.