TIBURON DESIGN REVIEW BOARD

MEETING OF OCTOBER 18, 2001

A. ROLL CALL

Present: Chair McLaughlin, Boardmembers Collins, Figour and Stroub

Absent: Boardmember Beales

Ex-Officio: Senior Planner Watrous and Minutes Clerk Flanagan

B. PUBLIC COMMENTS:

No one spoke during this time.

C. DISCUSSION AND STAFF BRIEFING

Senior Planner Watrous noted that Item E3, 155 Rock Hill Drive, was continued to the November 1, 2001 meeting.

D. OLD BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. 7 Seafirth Place Fitzgerald/Hoff, New Dwelling

The applicant is requesting Design Review approval for the construction of a new three-story single-family dwelling on property located at 7 Seafirth Place. The subject property is currently vacant.

This application was originally reviewed at the September 6, 2001 Design Review Board meeting. At that meeting, concerns were raised regarding potential privacy impacts of the proposed house on the adjacent residences at 5 and 9 Seafirth Place and 4030 Paradise Drive. The Board also expressed concerns about the massive appearance of the proposed house and how the structure would loom above the existing house below the site; the consensus of the Board was the design of the proposed house was inappropriate for the subject site. The request was continued to the October 4, 2001 meeting to allow the applicant time to address these concerns.

Revised plans were submitted that addressed many of the concerns raised at the first Board hearing. The proposed house was modified to narrow the upper floor; step the design into the hillside; reduce the width of the house and increase its setback facing the property at 4030 Paradise Drive; reduce the height of the roofline; slightly reduce the floor area of the house; and slightly increase the proposed lot coverage.

At the October 4^th meeting, the Board indicated that revised design was a significant improvement over the original house design, and was more compatible with the terrain and surrounding residences. However, the Board noted that the revised design would still result in the removal of a mature pine tree on the site that currently provides screening of the future house from the deck of the neighboring home at 4030 Paradise Drive. The Board continued the request to the October 18, 2001 meeting, with the applicant given direction to modify the house design to preserve this tree.

Revised plans have now been submitted for this project. The lower floor of the proposed house has been modified to move the guest room from the side of the living room to the rear of the staircase. The low retaining wall on the south side of the residence has also been eliminated.

Mohamad Sadrieh, architect, discussed changes made since the last hearing. He added that he and the Cohans had come to an agreement, which included a temporary fence around the tree in question during the construction period. Six trees and up to ten additional bushes would be located, as determined by the Cohans, between the house and the Cohans’ home. The building would be shifted down three feet in the southeastern corner by rotating it counterclockwise.

Boardmember Figour asked if applicant can live without windows in the dining room. Mr. Sadrieh responded that he could.

Lisa Cohan, 4030 Paradise Drive, concurred with Mr. Sadrieh’s presentation.

Boardmember Figour stated that the applicant has done a lot of work to appease the neighborhood, and the design works well.

Boardmember Stroub questioned rotating the building three feet, which might cause a looming effect to the future property below.

Boardmember Collins concurred, noting that the applicant had made substantial changes and retained the pine tree. He could support the request.

Chair McLaughlin added that if the house was rotated off the back corner, the tree could be affected, in addition to the looming that would be created on the future house. He supports the project as redesigned.

M/S, Stroub/Collins, passed 4-0-1, Beales absent, to approve the application based upon the findings and conditions as set forth in the Staff report, with additional conditions of approval to erect a temporary fence around the pine tree; the six trees and ten bushes to be located at the Cohans’ discretion; and the house rotated as drawn on the plan submitted at this meeting.

2. 14 Place Moulin Star Two, LLC, Modifications/Variance

The applicant is requesting Design review to modify the previously-approved plans to construct a new single-family dwelling on property located at 14 Place Moulin. A Site Plan and Architectural Review application (File #700090) was approved by the Design Review Board for this home on July 20, 2000. An appeal to the Town Council by the neighboring property owner at 12 Place Moulin was partially granted on September 20, 2000. Another Staff-level Design Review application was approved in 2001 (File #701003) to make several minor modifications to the originally-approved plans for this house.

The floor area and lot coverage of the house would remain unchanged from the previous approvals for this structure. However, the building height of the proposed house would be increased from 30 feet to 32 feet. As the maximum building height for a residence in Tiburon is 30 feet, a variance has been requested for excess building height.

Michael Heckmann, architect, distributed the site plan, discussed the project and noted that the owner of 16 Place Moulin has signed off the project. He recently learned two other affected neighbors have issues. In response to questions, he stated that the roof and the top floor are moved up two feet.

Ted Kozloff, 15 Place Moulin, stated his view would be impaired by the increased building height. He said that significant views of the water would be eliminated from the main floor deck and dining room. His architect described in a letter transmitted to the Town today two solutions: change the stairway width, or change the orientation of the garage so it is entered directly from the street. He can provide drawings to show these changes. He stated that there were compromises made on both sides when the house was first approved. He is not willing to make additional concessions, which are unfair since this situation could have been anticipated.

John Orvis, 12 Place Moulin, stated the siting of the house was not without controversy and quite a bit of time was spent compromising its orientation. This new change impacts his home. From his breakfast area in the kitchen and on his main levels, his view of the water of the near side of Strawberry Peninsula would be eliminated. Also, from the downstairs bedroom, he would look up at the roof instead of across the roof. He has not had the opportunity to determine whether there would be privacy issues that may require screening or alternatives. The story poles were erected just prior to his leaving town. Alternatives to the driveway and to this house are available. He said that there is a reason for height limits in the town and the house should be held at this height.

Mr. Heckmann stated there are no exhibits to define the impact or the extent of the impacts by the neighbors. He would like to know more about their issues. He said that the suggestion to re-orient the steps appears to be grim, but he has not studied this option.

Boardmember Stroub stated he did not visit the site because he did not think there were significant problems. He would like a continuance to review the site to determine if view impacts are severe. He could approve a variance for height, but not if there is a view blockage issue.

Boardmember Collins stated he was unable to view the story poles from 15 Place Moulin and he would like to do so. He would like to view story poles from 12 Moulin Place as well. He is not prepared to vote after hearing the neighbors’ concerns tonight.

Boardmember Figour stated he viewed the site from across the street, but could not analyze the potential impacts completely.

Chair McLaughlin concurred and added that having another architect design the project is not part of the Town’s normal process. He had concerns about the height and view impacts. He would not want to change policy by allowing the excess height and creating view impairments.

M/S, Collins/Figour, passed 4-0-1, Beales absent, to continue this item to November 1, 2001.

A member of the audience asked that another story pole be erected so the full roof line can be reviewed.

Senior Planner Watrous will review this and have the poles taped appropriately to clarify the roof line.

F. APPROVAL OF MINUTES #19 OF THE 10/4/01 DESIGN REVIEW BOARD MEETING

Changes include:

Page 2, paragraph 5, line 2, delete the second "not. Line 3, change "he" to "Mr. Tobias"

Page 6, paragraph 8, line 3, add "not" before "allow."

Page 7, paragraph 7, last sentence, insert "guest" in front of "room."

Page 4, paragraph 2, line 2, change "an oak" to "the oak."

Page 9, paragraph 9, add "height" before "overage."

F. ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 7:55 p.m.