Forest Character: Residential Design Guidelines 1.1 through 1.4 encourage preserving significant trees and minimizing impacts on established trees, protecting the root systems of all trees to be preserved, and maintaining a forested image on the site.
Staff Response:
Hapuna (010-112-012-000): The City Forester identified eight (8) trees on, or adjacent to, the project site during the preliminary site assessment, including two (2) Monterey Pines, two (2) Pittosporum, and four (4) Coast Live Oaks. All trees have been rated ‘significant’ or ‘moderately significant’. The applicant is not proposing to remove any of the (8) trees. The tree evaluation includes the 8’ and 12’ tree protection zone for significant trees. The property does not meet the recommended tree density of three upper canopy trees and one lower canopy tree. One upper canopy tree is required to be planted for the recommended tree density. The City Forester has reviewed the landscape and planting plan submitted by the applicant and has approved the proposal.
Kailea (010-112-013-000): The City Forester identified three (3) trees on, or adjacent to, the project site during the preliminary site assessment, including one (1) Monterey Pine, one (1) Pittosporum, and one (1) Coast Live Oak. The Pittosporum and Coastal live Oak have been rated ‘significant’ and the Monterey Pine has been determined to be ‘not significant’. The applicant is proposing to remove the Monterey Pine. The tree evaluation includes the 6’ and 10’ tree protection zone for significant trees. The property does not meet the recommended tree density of three upper canopy trees and one lower canopy tree. Three upper canopy trees are required to be planted for the recommended tree density. The City Forester has reviewed the landscape and planting plan submitted by the applicant and has approved the proposal.
Ahana (010-112-007-000): The City Forester identified five (5) trees on, or adjacent to, the project site during the preliminary site assessment, including two (2) Monterey Pines, two (2) Monterey Cypress, and one (1) Arbutus. All trees have been rated ‘significant’ or ‘moderately significant’. The applicant is not proposing to remove any of the (5) trees. The tree evaluation includes the 8’, 10’, and 12’ tree protection zone for significant trees. The City Forester is not requiring any tree planting because the property meets the recommended tree density. The City Forester has reviewed the landscape and planting plan submitted by the applicant and has approved the proposal.
Topography: Residential Design Guidelines 3.1 through 3.5 encourage maintaining the natural topographic character of Carmel; encourage site development that preserves natural slopes, avoids significant exposed cuts or fills and protects trees; promote grading designs that will retain water on site, enhance percolation into soils, and minimize runoff onto adjacent properties; promote the use of natural slopes and stepped floor plans in building design so that houses hug the land.
Staff Response:
Hapuna: Of the three parcel, parcel 010-112-012-000 slopes the least. The project uses the gentle slope of the parcel to reduce the perceived bulk of the project from Mission Street by having the proposed second story at the back of the parcel. The parcel slopes more at the South and East edges, so the applicant has included a drainage plan to manage erosion. The applicant has designed the project to include area drains, a swale, and a flow-well dispersion systems to manage drainage, preventing excess drainage onto the parcel down slope.
Kailea: Parcel 010-112-013-000 slope more North to South and West to East than parcel 010-112-012-000. The applicant uses this slope to reduce the perceived bulk of the project from Mission sSreet by having the proposed second story at the back of the parcel. The project includes cut and fill slopes, swales, and a flow-well dispersion systems to manage the drainage on site, reducing erosion and drainage down slope.
Ahana: Parcel 010-112-007-000 slopes the most of the three parcels. The parcel slopes North to South, similar to the other parcels, and slopes to the East. The applicant proposes to build with the slope to the East and build the second story down at the rear of the property. This reduces the perceived bulk of the property from Mission Street, making it appear to be a single story home. The applicant has submitted a drainage plan for the project to accommodate the slope of the parcel and reduce erosion and drainage down the hill. The applicant is proposing two flow-well dispersion systems, multiple area drains, and multiple swales.
Privacy and Views: Residential Design Guidelines 5.1 through 5.3 encourage designs that preserve reasonable privacy for adjacent properties and maintain view opportunities of natural features.
Staff Response:
Hapuna: Staff has heard from four neighbors with concerns regarding privacy and views –the neighbors to the North, Northeast, and East. They have all expressed concerns that the second story will block views and create privacy issues.
The property to the North is concerned about windows on the second story stairs (4’ X 7’-1 ½”) and restroom (4’ X 3’-8”) looking into their bedroom and bathroom. The stairs windows is a combination of a fixed window and an awning window. The bathroom window is an awning window. To address the neighbors concerns, the Planning Commission could add a condition for the applicant to reduce the size of the windows or frost the glass. The second story was situated to avoid blocking the views of the ocean from the neighbor to the North’s Juliet balcony. The second story is set back 3’-9” from the North (side) property line, 21’-2” from the East (rear) property line, and 82’-4.5” from the West (front) property line. The neighbor to the North said that the second story will not block their view of the ocean. The neighbor has requested that the Planning Commission stop by their house during the site visits.
The neighbor in the property to the Northeast has concerns about views of trees being blocked by the new second story. The proposed second story of Hapuna will be 23’-2” and set back 21’-2” from the rear property line. The neighbor has requested the Planning Commission visit their property during the site visits.
The owners in the properties to the East brought up concerns about the view of the trees and sky, privacy issues from the new second story bedroom windows, and the perceived mass of the project from their backyards. To address the neighbors concerns, the applicant could frost the glass of the east facing windows in their bedroom or remove them all together. Unless the applicant decided to remove the second story, there is not any way to reposition the second story without blocking the neighbor to the North view from their second story. At the time of writing this report, the neighbors have not requested the Planning Commission visit their properties.
Staff has determined the project complies with the Residential Design Guidelines pertaining to views and meets Concept Phase Approval Findings #5 pertaining to public and private views, and solar access. Staff has determined that the applicant can adjust the windows as described above to address the privacy concerns.
Kailea and Ahana: At the time of writing this report, no neighbors have reached out and expressed concerns about these projects. The neighbors that had concerns about Hapuna specified that these projects are not an issue. The applicant has situated the second stories back from the property line to ensure that the projects do not block ocean views of the neighbors up the hill. Staff has not found any view or privacy issues for Kailea and Ahana. The projects meets Concept Phase Approval Findings #5 pertaining to public and private views, and solar access.
Parking and Access: Residential Design Guidelines 6.1 through 6.7 encourage subordinate parking facilities that do not dominate the design of the house or site, minimizing the amount of paved surface for a driveway, positioning garages to maximize open space, views, and privacy, and minimizing visual impacts.
Staff Response:
Hapuna: The applicant proposes a 243-square-foot attached garage on the Northwest side of the lot. The garage is proposed to be 20’-4” by 11’-11 ½”. The garage will be 18’-5” from the property line. The new proposed paver tire paths driveway will vary in widths and will be 9’ wide at the widest sections. The garage and driveway will be in a similar location to the previous driveway and carport. The new garage is subordinate to the main house by being a reduced height and narrower than the portion of the house it is connected to. The project meets the objectives of parking and access.
Kailea: The applicant is proposing a 250-square-foot detached garage in the front yard setback on the Southwest side of the lot. The garage is proposed to be 20’-10” by 12’. The garage is set back 1’-6” from the front property line. The proposed driveway is made of permeable pavers and extends into the right-of-way to connect with the street edge. The driveway tapers wider as it get to the edge of the street and the width stays less than 12’. The garage and driveway is in the opposite location of the previous driveway and carport, moving from the Northeast part of the lot to the Southwest. The new garage is subordinate to the main house by being a reduced height and narrower than the portion of the main house behind it. The project meets the objectives of parking and access.
Ahana: The applicant is prosing a 264-square-foot attached garage is setback 16’-7” from the property line. The garage is proposed to be 22’ by 12’ and situated on the Northwest side of the lot. The driveway will be permeable paver tire paths. The tire paths are approximately 30” wide and connect to the street with an asphalt skirt per the Carmel Municipal Code. The new driveway and garage are in in a similar location to the old driveway and garage. The new garage is subordinate to the main house by be a smaller than the section of the main house it is attached to. This breaks up the volume and differentiates it from the house, as described in further detail in the next section. The project meets the objectives of parking and access.
Mass and Bulk: Residential Design Guidelines 7.1 through 7.7 encourage a building’s mass to relate to the context of other homes nearby, minimize the mass of a building as seen from the public way or adjacent properties, and relate to a human scale in its basic forms.
Staff Response: The homes in the surrounding area are a mix of single-story and two-story structures. The house to the North is two-stories and close to the shared property line with Hapuna. It has a similar attached garage that connects to the single-story portion of the house. The property to the South is two-stories with a lower level and main level. It uses the topography similar to Ahana to build down and appear to be one story from the street level on Mission Street. All three of the houses to the East/Northeast are two-story homes. The properties to the East and Northeast of Hapuna are located to the front of their parcels. The property two houses up and Northeast from Hapuna is closer to the West and North Property lines of its parcel.
Hapuna: The proposed project is on a gentle slope at the top of a hill. The applicant has used this slope to try to reduce the perceived mass and bulk from the street, putting the second story at the rear of the property. The owner of the property to the East has expressed concerns about the mass of the proposed project when viewed from their backyard. The second Story of Hapuna is 23’-2” tall and setback 21’-2” from the rear property line. The owner of the property to the Northeast has sent a follow up email to staff that is attached to the staff report.
The ridge height of the first floor is 16’-6” and the ridge height of the second floor is 23’-2”. The maximum allowed ridge height is 18’ and 24’, respectively. The first-floor plate height is 11’-7” and the second-floor plate height is 17’-10”. The maximum allowed plate heights are 12’ for first floors and 18’ for second stories. The proposed project is consistent with the zoning code standards on ridge and plate heights.
Exterior doors are proposed to be between 6’-8” and 8’ feet tall. The windows on the property are between 3’ to 8’ tall. Many of the taller windows are South and West facing, allowing for more natural light during the day and evening. None of the windows are proposed to have divisions. All of the windows on the property match the modern architectural style.
Kailea: The proposed project is on a slope from the North side of the property to the South side. The applicant has used this slope to try to reduce the perceived mass and bulk from the street, putting the second story at the rear of the property. The owners of the properties that have expressed concerns about the Hapuna stated they have no issues with this project.
The ridge height of the first floor is 11’-8” and the ridge height of the second floor is 23’-2.5”. The maximum allowed ridge height is 18’ and 24’, respectively. The first-floor plate height is 10’ and the second-floor plate height is 17’-10”. The maximum allowed plate heights are 12’ for first floors and 18’ for second stories. The proposed project is consistent with the zoning code standards on ridge and plate heights.
Exterior doors are proposed to be between 6’-8” and 8’-5” feet tall. The windows on the property are between 2’ to 10’ tall. The South and West sides of the building have the most large windows, but all sides of the housing have large windows proposed. The windows are designed to allow natural light in and to match the modern architectural style. None of the windows are proposed to have divisions.
Ahana: The proposed project is on a slope from the Northwest side of the property to the Southeast side. The applicant has used this slope to reduce the perceived mass and bulk from the street, building a lower level at the rear of the property. The property has the appearance of a single-story home from the streetscape. The owners of the properties that have expressed concerns about the Hapuna stated they have no issues with this project.
The ridge height of the first floor is 13’-6” and the ridge height of the second floor is 19’-2” at the rear of the property. The maximum allowed ridge height is 18’ and 24’, respectively. The first-floor plate height is 11’-10” and the second-floor plate height is 17’-10”. The maximum allowed plate heights are 12’ for first floors and 18’ for second stories. The proposed project is consistent with the zoning code standards on ridge and plate heights.
Exterior doors are proposed to be between 6’-8” and 8’ feet tall. The windows on the property are between 2’ to 8’-10” tall. The South and East sides of the building have the most large windows, but all sides of the housing have large windows proposed. The windows are designed to allow natural light in and to match the modern architectural style. The largest section of windows is the hallway that connects the front section of the house to the rear section. This hallway has floor to ceiling windows. None of the windows are proposed to have divisions.
Building and Roof Form: Residential Design Guidelines 8.1 through 8.5 encourage traditional building forms, using restraint with variations in building planes, using simple roof forms that are proportionate to the scale of the building, and roof eave lines that are low in scale.
Staff Response:
Hapuna: The building will have two front facing gables; one for the first floor of the residence and one for the garage. The second story roof is perpendicular to the first floor roof. All roofs are pitched at 7:12 throughout except for the dormer which has a slope of 5:12. There is one section around the roof deck on the second story that has a ¼:12 slope. There are 2 additional ridges at the rear of the property for the second story closet and the first floor second bedroom.
The design guidelines encourage properties have a primary volume with secondary volumes appearing attached to the primary form. The subject property has lower ridges on the secondary volumes of the main house and the garage. Additionally, the guidelines encourage changing roof heights to help break up the massing while keeping the roof form simple overall. The proposed project maintains the same roof slopes for most of the roof while breaking up the massing by having changing roof heights. While most of the pitched roofs have the same slope, the second story is perpendicular to the first floor roof and the dormer has a different slope, creating some roof complexity. If the Planning Commissioners find the roof to be too complex, staff recommends instructing the applicant to remove the second story dormer.
Kailea: The detached garage and first floor of the proposed project have flat, green roofs. The first floor portion of the main house has a rooftop deck. The second story of the main house has a pitched roof that is parallel to the street with a slope of 7:12 and a dormer with a slope of 1:12.
The design guidelines encourage properties with flat roofs be on smaller, one-story structures. The guidelines encourage gabled roofs for larder buildings or two-story elements. This project follows the guidelines by having the flat roof on the single-story elements of the structures and a gabled roof for the second-story element. The guidelines further encourage limiting the number of dormers to keep the roof form simple. The project includes one dormer at the entrance to the roof deck, following the design guidelines encouragement for limited dormers.
Ahana: The proposed structure’s roofs are all flat with either roof gardens or gravel ballast. The garage and front portion of the home have the gravel ballast roof and the rear portion of the property has green roofs and a rooftop deck. The roofs include clear natural wood fascia that matches the siding for the house in addition to metal gravel stops.
The design guidelines encourage properties have a primary volume with secondary volumes appearing attached to the primary form. The project does this by having the garage and hallway connecting the two main forms of the house lower than the main residence. While the design guidelines encourage pitched roofs for two-story elements, the two story element of this structure is at the rear of the property where the building has a lower level. Due to the upper level of the two-story element having the appearance of being one story from the street, staff has determined that the project meets the intent of the guidelines to have simple roof and building forms.
Finish Details:
Hapuna: The applicant is proposing vertical stained wood siding. The siding will be 4” boards throughout. The doors are proposed to be paint grade wood and the windows will be tan stained wood. The proposed roofing will be a gray standing seam metal roof with varied widths. The decking will be Ipe wood spaced-boards.
Kailea: The applicant is proposing vertical grey, stained wood siding that appears like naturally weathered wood. The siding will be 3 5/8” board and batten throughout. The doors are proposed to be clear stained paint grade Douglas Fir wood. The proposed windows will be tan stained wood. The proposed roofing will be a tan/grey standing seam metal roof with uniform widths, gravel ballast, and drought resistant green roofs. The decking will be Ipe wood spaced-boards.
Ahana: The applicant is proposing vertical clear-stained wood siding that has the appearance of natural wood. The siding will be board and batten with alternating 1.5” battens and 3” boards throughout. The doors and windows will be clear, anodized coated aluminum (helping to protect the aluminum from scratches and weathering). The proposed roofing will be a gravel ballast and drought resistant green roofs. The decking will be Ipe wood spaced-boards. The proposed spa at the rear of the property will be stainless steel.
Fencing/Gate/Arbor:
Hapuna: A new gate is being proposed on the North side of the site to create a trash enclosure. A new 6’ tall wood picket fence is being proposed for the rear (east) property line and along the South property line at the rear of the property to enclose the backyard. Carmel stone garden walls between 2’ and 2’-6” are proposed at the front of the property. There no other fences, gates, arbors, or walls being proposed.
Kailea: A new fenced area with a gate is being proposed behind the detached garage to create a trash enclosure. A new 6’ tall wood picket fence is being proposed for the rear property line and along the North and South property lines at the rear of the property to enclose the backyard. There no other fences, gates, arbors, or walls being proposed.
Ahana: A new fenced area with a gate is being proposed on the North side of the attached garage to create a trash enclosure. A new 6’ tall wood picket fence is being proposed for the rear property line and along the North and South property lines at the rear of the property to enclose the backyard. The fencing extends along the South property line to the West property line. The fencing extends North along the West property line enclosing a portion of the front of yard. There no other fences, gates, arbors, or walls being proposed.
Site Coverage: CMC Section 17.10.030.C (Site Coverage) limits impermeable site coverage to 22% of the base floor area allowed for the site. On a 4,000-square-foot lot, the allowed base floor area is 1,800 square feet, and the amount of site coverage permitted is 396 square feet. Impermeable materials include asphalt, concrete, mortared brick and stone, decomposed granite, unspaced decking and balconies at any level, garden walls, solariums, bridges, sheds not counted as floor areas, ponds, hot tubs, and swimming pools.
If at least 50 percent of the property's site coverage is made of permeable or semi-permeable materials, an additional amount of site coverage of up to four percent of the site area, 160 square feet, may be allowed for use in a single driveway of up to nine feet in width. Permeable and semi-permeable materials include gravel, spaced decking and exterior stairs, sand-set bricks or pavers, garden walkways of small paving stones, and arbors.
Staff Response:
Hapuna: This 4150 square foot lot is allowed 574 square feet of site coverage. The applicant proposes a total of 567 square feet of site coverage with over half being semi-permeable. Semi-permeable materials include the stone paver driveway and walkway, and the wood deck. The project meets the requirements for site coverage.
Kailea: This 4950 square foot lot is allowed 667 square feet of site coverage. The applicant proposes a total of 567 square feet of site coverage with over half being semi-permeable. Semi-permeable materials include the permeable wood paver driveway and walkway, stone paver walkway, and the wood deck. The project meets the requirements for site coverage
Ahana: This 4900 square foot lot is allowed 662 square feet of site coverage. The applicant proposes a total of 657 square feet of site coverage with over half being semi-permeable. Semi-permeable materials include the permeable wood driveway and walkway, and the wood decks. The project meets the requirements for site coverage.
Right-of-Way Character: Section 1.5-1.7 of the Residential guidelines encourages maintaining the forest character fo the right-of-way by using natural materials for street parking, maintaining informal, natural vegetation, and maintaining trees. Section 2.0 of the Residential Design Guideline’s objectives are for properties and development to maintaining the meandering character of streets, the rustic street drainage, and to maintain the existing street widths. Section 10.2-10.4 of the Residential guidelines encourages the use of green, native plant species that continue the feel of the forest character of Carmel.
For Hapuna, the applicant is proposing to extend the stone paver tire paths driveway to the street edge and a mulch pathway in the right-of-way. For Kailea, the applicant is proposing a wood paver driveway and a mulch pathway in the right-of-way. For Ahana, the applicant is proposing a wood paver tire path driveway and a mulch pathway in the right-of-way The proposed landscaping in the front of the properties and the right-of-way is a mix of ground cover (Dymondia and Yerba Buena) and small vegetation (sword fern and creeping sage). All trees on Hapuna and Ahana are being retained, maintaining the forest feel of the lot from the street. A Monterey Pine in the right-of-way is being removed as part of the Kailea project because the tree was deemed not significant. The applicant is required to plant three upper canopy trees as part of the Kailea project and one at Hapuna. The applicant meets the design guidelines and municipal code standards for the right-of-way for all three projects.
Skylights: No skylights are proposed for Hapuna, Kailea, or Ahana.
Chimney: Section 9.15 of the Residential Design Guidelines encourages chimneys that integrate into the building, are an appropriate size, and avoid blocking views.
Hapuna: The project is not proposing a chimney.
Kailea: The project has a gas fireplace with a small chimney that meets the standards for chimney height and size. The chimney is only as large as is required by manufacturer specifications and does not create any view issues. The lower section of the chimney connects to the ground as is encouraged in the design guidelines. The lower part of the chimney is vineyard rock quarry stone and it follows the stonework recommendations of the design guidelines by terminating on interior edges and not being installed in a decorative, ornate manner.
Ahana: The project has a gas fireplace with a small chimney that meets the standards for chimney height and size. The chimney is only as large as is required by manufacturer specifications and does not create any view issues. The lower section of the chimney connects to the ground as is encouraged in the design guidelines. The lower part of the chimney is board form architectural concrete and that fits with the architectural style of the building.
Landscaping: Section 10.2-10.4 of the Residential guidelines encourages the use of green, native plant species that continue the feel of the forest character of Carmel.
Staff Response: The landscaping for all three projects was designed together with the intention of retaining and accentuating the Coastal Oak and Monterey Pine trees that are already on the parcels. The intention was to create the feel of the structures nestled into an gove of trees. The landscaping includes native, drought resistant species that would be found in an Oak grove. The projects were design so that the landscaping blended together and flow between the parcels. The applicant included native, drought resistant green roofs on Kailea and Ahana to help them fit and blend into the natural environment more cohesively. The existing and proposed landscaping is being used to screen the structures from the street and the neighboring homes.