REPORT TO DESIGN REVIEW BOARD

Transcription

1 CITY OF Community Development Department Planning Division Meeting Date: January 18, 2012 Case Numbers: CDR Project Planner: Sarjit Dhaliwal (415) REPORT TO DESIGN REVIEW BOARD SUBJECT: 207 Chula Vista Drive (Pilgrim Residence) Request for a Conceptual Design Review to allow the construction of a 4,144-sq. ft. new single family residence and associated site and landscaping improvements on a vacant 23,860-sq. ft. hillside site, with 44% slope; APN: and 11; Single Family Residential District (R10) Zone; Don Henderson, Applicant; Craig Pilgrim, Owner; Lincoln-San Rafael Hill Neighborhood. PROPERTY FACTS Site Characteristics General Plan Designation Zoning Designation Existing Land-Use Project Site: Low Density Residential R10 Undeveloped North: Low Density Residential R10 Undeveloped South: Low Density Residential R10 Undeveloped East: Low Density Residential R10 Undeveloped West: Hillside Residential R1a Single Family Residence Required: Allowed: Site Development Summary Lot Size Lot Coverage or Natural State 1 10,000 sq. ft. Required: 16,463 sq. ft. (69%) 23,860 sq. ft. (existing) 17,091 sq. ft. (71.6%) Height 1 Floor Area 1 30ft./20 ft. Allowed: 4,886 sq. ft. 20 ft. 4,144 sq. ft. Required: Parking 4; 2 covered, 2 guest 4 covered Upper Floor Area Allowed: 7,158 sq. ft. 2,065 sq. ft. Lot Width, Yard or Landscape Area Required: None Required: Front: Side(s): Rear: Ext. side: Ped. side: Setbacks Required Existing Proposed / Grading Tree Removal Total Onsite: 265 cy Total Road: 513 cy Total(No./Species): 13 eucalyptus Cut: 265 cy 513 cy Requirement: 39 Fill: 148 cy 485 cy None Off-Haul: 117 cy 28 cy Notes: 1 For hillside parcels, development standards are based upon the parcel size and percent slope, and height is measured from the natural grade. Non-hillside building height is measured from finished grade pursuant to the UBC method. 2 Proposed setbacks are indicated from new exterior walls of buildings or additions. See body of staff report for detailed discussion of project compliance and/or any issues with non-compliance.

2 SUMMARY The applicant is requesting Board s comments on conceptual design for a new single family residence located on a hillside lot. The Board s recommendation would be used by the applicant to develop a formal application. Since the project would not require an exception to any of the development standards contained in SRMC Chapter Hillside Development Overlay District (-H), the project would be reviewed by the Zoning Administrator. Based on review of the applicable design criteria, which is discussed in detail below, staff has identified a few potential design issues with the project. Staff requests that the Board review this report and provide a recommendation on compliance with all pertinent design criteria. Specifically, staff asks the Board to consider the following: Architecture Whether the project size and design is appropriate including the building articulation and stepping; and Whether the building materials and colors are compatible with the site and surrounding neighborhood. Landscaping Whether additional tree replacement with native species should be required. Grading Whether proposed grading is appropriate, including the utilization of cuts to step building mass into the hillside. BACKGROUND Site Description & Setting: The subject property is located north of the future intersection of Chula Vista Drive and Coleman Drive, both of which are unimproved in this area. The site is west of Fair Drive. Chula Vista Drive that would be used to access the property has a 25 ft. right of way in this area. The property is down-sloping with a 44% slope, consists of two separate lots and is undeveloped (Exhibit A: Vicinity Map). An 18 storm drain toward Red Rock Way is located across the western corner of the property. The property contains a large number of eucalyptus trees of varying sizes. Surrounding properties are undeveloped except the property to the west which is developed with a single family residence. The subject lot and surrounding undeveloped lots are depicted based upon the 1912 map of Chula Vista Terrace. The proposed project is located on two separate lots. Therefore, an Environmental and Design Review Permit application would be required to be accompanied with a Lot Line Adjustment application for lot consolidation. PROJECT DESCRIPTION The applicant is proposing a two level 4,144 sq. ft. single family residence. The proposed residence would consist of a stepped, ft. high structure with four bedrooms and three bathrooms. The upper floor would consist of 2,958 sq. ft. area, a three-car garage, a one-car carport (893 sq. ft.) with decks and walkway. The lower floor would be 1,186 sq. ft. area with a deck. In the east corner of the residence, a garbage enclosure would be located next to the carport. The proposed structure would provide a 31-ft. front setback, 18-ft. and 25-ft. side setbacks and 46-ft. rear setback. The access would be directly off Chula Vista Drive with a long driveway to the garage/carport. The proposed materials and colors would be as follows: Resawn Cedar, Olympic Stain-# 719 & # 721 horizontal siding; 2

3 La Harbra Stucco-trabuco 278 color stucco; and Blomberg windows, Terra Blue. No landscaping or external lighting details have been provided at this time. Grading would include onsite for the building site, and offsite for the road work in the access easement. Onsite grading consists of 265 cu. yds. cut and 148 cu. yds. fill with 117 cu. yds. to be exported. Offsite grading consists of 513 cu. yds. cut and 485 cu. yds. fill with 28 cu. yds. to be exported. Roof drainage would be channeled downslope away from the structure through a new 12 storm drain to an existing 18 storm drain which is located across the western corner of the property. ANALYSIS For a conceptual design review, the project has been evaluated for consistency with Hillside Design Guidelines as follows: Hillside Design Guidelines: The proposed project provides a gross building square footage of 4,144 sq. ft. (3,251 sq. ft. living space and 893 sq. ft. garage), a maximum building height of 20 feet, 71.6% natural state, a 3-car garage and 1-car carport. The Hillside Design Guidelines Checklist prepared for this project is attached (Exhibit 2). Staff requests that the Board consider staff s preliminary review of the following hillside criteria, and comment on the issues identified in the summary section above. Section III - Building Stepback The project complies with the requirement to provide downhill and side stepbacks with vertical wall planes not exceeding 20 feet in height. Section A2 - Preservation of Significant Trees Thirteen, 2 to 40 eucalyptus trees are proposed to be removed to clear the building pad for the current project. The project plans do not include a landscape plan. However, replanting with native species is recommended. Removal of non-native trees is acceptable, provided replacement with native trees occurs. Section A3 - Hillside Grading and Drainage Onsite and offsite grading is proposed for the project. Onsite grading for the building site consists of 265 cu. yds. cut and 148 cu. yds. fill with 117 cu. yds. to be exported. Offsite grading for road work consists of 513 cu. yds. cut and 485 cu. yds. fill with 28 cu. yds. to be exported. A new retaining wall would be built along the access road. However, the conceptual plans are not detailed to include retaining wall height. Roof drainage would be channeled downslope away from the structure through a new 12 storm drain to an existing 18 storm drain which is located across the western corner of the property. Staff requests the Board s input regarding the proposed drainage pattern. Section A5 - Street Layout, Driveway and Parking Design The currently improved portion of Chula Vista is a typical hillside street with a varying right of way and a general paved width of 15-ft. In the vicinity of the project area, Chula Vista is unimproved. The applicant proposes to construct the unimproved portion of Chula Vista Drive to an approximately 25-ft. right-of-way, 18-ft. paved width with retaining walls on one or both sides as needed. The current plans identify the road would have a fire hydrant and stormwater collection points for a portion of the road. More detailed plans would be required for the project application stage. An approximately 18-ft. driveway for the project would be provided directly off Chula Vista Drive. In front of the garage and carport, the driveway would be approximately 31-ft. wide and would terminate with a hammer head turn around. Parking on streets less than twenty-six feet (26 ) requires a 3

4 minimum of two (2) additional on-site parking spaces. The project proposes 4 covered parking spaces (three in the garage and one in the carport). Staff believes the project meets the street layout, driveway and parking design requirements. Section A6 - Reduction of Building Bulk The proposed design results in a low profile structure. The proposed residence would consist of 4 bedrooms with 3 bathrooms. The 20-ft. high building is designed to provide articulation and massing, resulting in minimizing its mass and impact. Staff requests the Board s input on whether the project size and design is appropriate. Section A7 - Hillside Architectural Character Building materials and colors are required to blend with the setting and coordinate with the predominant colors and values of the surrounding landscape. Staff believes the project colors and materials are appropriate. The proposed building colors would have only a minimal impact on other neighborhood homes due to their location away from the subject development. Staff requests that the Board comment on whether the building design, materials and colors result in a project that is well designed and compatible with the site and surrounding neighborhood. Section A8 Planting Design for Hillside Residential Development Planting design is required to reflect the hillside character of the San Rafael landscape; plant selection should recognize the importance of water conservation, fire resistance and erosion control and should be used to effectively buffer existing residential neighborhoods from the impacts of new hillside development projects. Current project plans do not include landscape plans. The project proposes to remove 13 eucalyptus trees. Landscape plans for the design review stage would need to identify replacement with native species. Plant selection would need to be consistent with the Plant Selection Guide contained in Appendix B of the Hillside Residential Design Guidelines (HRDG). The landscape plan would also need to be consistent with the Marin Municipal Water District (MMWD) landscape plan requirements. Section A9 - Site Lighting The Hillside Design Guidelines require visible lighting to include full shield cut-off and not be visible from adjacent properties or the public right-of-way. The provided plans do not include exterior lighting details. However, staff believes a single family residence can easily comply with the requirements for external lighting (e.g. shielded/low level). NEIGHBORHOOD CORRESPONDENCE A courtesy notice for the Design Review Board meeting was mailed to all property owners and occupants within a radius of 300 feet of the subject property within 15 days prior to the Board s meeting. In addition, the Lincoln-San Rafael Neighborhood Association was included in the notice distribution. A public notice sign was posted in front of the subject property. Staff has not received any phone calls or letters from anyone regarding this project. CONCLUSION Staff requests Board s direction on the points specified in the Summary section. EXHIBITS 1. Vicinity Map 2. Hillside Design Guideline Checklist Form 4

5 Full-sized and reduced (11 x17 ) plans have been provided to the DRB members only. cc: Don Henderson 588 Sutter Street, #136 San Francisco, CA Craig Pilgrim 369-B 3 rd Street, #130 San Rafael, CA94901 Lincoln - San Rafael Hill NA Kay Karchevski 42 Hillcrest Dr. San Rafael, CA