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Home My WebLink About1219 Vancouver Avenue - Staff Report (2)City of Burlingame Design Review and Special Permit for Height Address: 1219 Vancouver Avenue Item # Design Review Study Meeting Date: 10/23/00 Request: Design review and special permit for height (C.S. 25.28.060, a, 1) for a first and second-story addition. Property Owners and Applicants: Ramin and Natalie Forood Architect/Designer: Gary R. Diebel, Diebel & Company General Plan Designation: Low density residential APN: 027-340-170 Lot Area: 9,100 SF Summary: The existing four-bedroom, single-story house contains 3,239 SF of floor area (.35 FAR), including an attached two-car garage. The applicant is proposing to remove more than 50% of the existing first floor walls as part of this project (Sheet EX2.1). Currently, the garage door faces the right side property line and is accessed by making a 90° turn into the garage. The applicant is proposing to change the location of the garage door so that it faces the street. The gaxage will contain two single-wide doors and is setback 27'- 0" (25'-0" required). The applicant is proposing to remodel the first floor and add a new 1,491 SF second floor, which would increase the floor area of the remodeled house to 4,007 SF (.44 FAR) where 4,012 SF (.44 FAR) is the maximum allowed. A special permit for height is required (36'-0" is proposed where 30' is the maximum allowed without a special permit). With the proposed addition, the house would have five potential bedrooms, which requires two covered and one uncovered parking spaces. The proposed attached garage meets the requirement for a five-bedroom house. A 9' x 20' uncovered parking space is provided in the driveway. All other zoning code requirements have been met. Staff Comments: See attached. PROPOSED EXISTING ALLOWED/REQ'D SETBACKS Front (2nd flr): 43'-3" none 20'-0" Garage: 27'-0" (front access) side access 25'-0" (two single wide doors) Side (ri ht): no change 5'-5�/s"° 7'-0" �eft): no change 4'-85/a"° 7'-0" Rear (Istflr): 43'-10" 44'-0" 15'-0" (2nd flr): 61'-10" none 20'-0" LOT COVERAGE: 2663 SF 3247 SF 3640 SF 29.2 % 35.6% 40% FAR: 4007 SF 3239 SF 4012 SF .44 FAR .35 FAR .44 FAR Design Review and Special Permit for Height 1219 Vancouver Avenue PROPOSED EXISTING ALLOWED/REQ'D PARKING: 2 covered 2 covered 2 covered (20' x 20' ) (20' x 20' ) (20' x 20' ) 1 uncovered 1 uncovered 1 uncovered (9' x 20' ) (9' x 20' ) (9' x 20' ) HEIGHT*: 36'-0"* single-story 30'/2 1/a stories DH ENVELOPE°: complies n/a see code ° Existing nonconforming right and left side setbacks. * Special permit for height required (36'-0" proposed where 30'-0" is the maximum allowed). Ruben G. Hurin Planner c. Gary R. Diebel, Diebel & Company, architect 2 Natalie and Ramin Fa'ood 1219 Vano�uverAvenue Burlingame, CA 94010 Burlingame Planning DepartmerrtlCommission 501 Primrose Avenue Burlingame, CA 94010 To Whom It May Concem: Along with our architectural plans w�e have submitted a preliminary conceptual design of the landscaping. We are currentiy looldng for a landscape architect who can enhance this design with addi6onal softscape, as well as plant and tree details. Due to the increase in property development in the Bay Area, vue have been unable to find a qualified �andscape designer who can add the various details so that w+e can finalize the design. We therefore, vueuld like to request that this preliminary drawing be accepted with the under�tanding that the fdlowing things may change: 1. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Pergolas at the frorit and the rear of the property will not be built. Some portion of the rear of the house might have a retractable awning for shade. The footprint aF the property has decreased since this conceptual was drawn, so modifications will need to be made outside the guestroom. Some of the hardscape that is shoum in the front aF the house will most likely be replaced with easily marrtainable ground cover or some other softscape. The entrance to the house might become a curved path instead of a straight approach currentiy depicted. Some of the retaining walls shown in the badc yard might be removed. Water features depicted in the front and the rear yarcis might not be built. We look forward to working with the planning department and our neighbors to achieve a pleasant tandscape design and are confident that these changes will complemerit the house as well as the neighborhood. Please contact us via email or one of the phone numbers listed below if you have any questions. (650) 348-0371— home (408) 579-Z873 — wio►1t (650) 678-7844 — ceJl 1-810-283-8242 — fax n forood�yahoo.com RECEIVED SEP 1 3 2000 -. _ . � � I%�i/r � i /; ��., - . - . ... September 12, 2000 CITY OF BURLINGAME PLANNING DEPT. Winges Architecture & Planning 1290 Howard Ave. Suite 311 Burlingame, CA 94010 MEMO: Date: 1-2-2001 Planning Commission City of Burlingame 501 Primrose Road, Burlingame, CA 94010 ref: 1219 Vancouver -- Forood RECEIVED JAN - 3 2001 CITY OF BURLINGAME PLANNING DEPT. I have visited the site, the street and the surrounding neighborhood and have reviewed the revised plans for the remodeling. I prepared initial comments, then met with the designer and owner to make more suggestions. I have the following comments regarding the revised drawings dated Dec. 12, 2000 in reference to the original drawing submittal dated Oct. 10, 2000, and in reference to the design guidelines. 1 Com�atibilitX of the architectural stXle with that of the existin� nei�hborhood: • This block is an eclectic mix of many styles, shapes and sizes including one and two story, contemporary, Mediterranean, ranch, and Tudor, with varied setbacks. There is no predominant pattern. • All 4 houses to the right side and one house to the left side of the subject property are two story and set up from the street—some are quite tall. 5 houses across the street toward the south are small one story of various styles with garages in the back. Other houses across the street include a 2 story contemporary, a two story Tudor, and various ranch type homes. • There does not seem to be an issue of fitting in with a style or particular scale or massing. 2 Respect the Parkin� and Gara�?e Patterns in the Nei�hborhood: • Existing 2 car garage faces a shared driveway. The replacement garage will be turned 90 degrees and will face the street with it's own driveway. • Parking in the neighborhood varies, with many garages facing the street. The older 1 story homes have garages in the rear. • Garage floor elevation has been lowered over 5' from the original submittal and the garage roof height has also been lowered substantially. This reduces the bulk and mass of the garage dramatically, tends to "hide" the garage, and allows for a "flat" driveway. Arched door openings have been eliminated and door simplified in favor of a more understated design. 3_ Architectural Style Mass and Bulk of the Structure and Internal Consistencv of the Desi�n• • The overall mass has been reduced by reducing the second floor plate height 1' �� from 10' to 9.' Columns at the Living room window have been deleted; windows on the second floor have been reduced in size; quoins have been removed; roof shapes have been modified to eliminate the round high window bays, and the windows simplified. Front bedroom bay plate heights have been lowered to 8', with small gable roofs. All of these changes serve to reduce the scale and mass and tone down the design as suggested. Entry door has been changed to single door and downplayed. Windows and balcony have been added above garage roof which was lowered. This appears to open only to the garage stairway. 4 Interface of the Proposed Structure with the Adjacent Structures to Each Side: • There will be minimal or no impact on the house to the left side which is separated by a flag lot driveway; The proposed Master bedroom deck size remains the same, but due to the line of trees and the flag lot driveway separation, I do not see a major impact on the left side neighbor. • The large property to the rear will have almost no impact due to the slope up of the lots and the great distance between structures. • There will be some scale impact as well as shadow impacts to the house on the right side that currently shares the driveway due to the increased height and mass of the new structure and it's forward position on the lot. However, the second floor has been set back and it does conform to the declining height envelope. Also, a portion of the one story structure is being removed at the rear. 5 Landscaping and Its Proportion to the Mass and Bulk of Structural Comnonents: • No landscape plan has been submitted. It is critical that the front yard hardscape and landscape be done carefully to make a pleasant transition to the street and a reasonable design to accommodate the easement for the existing shared driveway. Summarv: 1. The changes shown appear to address the original planning commission comments. The scale and mass of the design has been reduced and the overall design simplified and made to look less "ostentatious." Nice shadow lines are created by the curved walls and recessed balconies. Lowering the garage was a big improvement. 2. The house still retains a bulky square style without overhangs and with massive trim, but is less bulky than before. This is a function af the style chosen. 2 Recommend approval of the overall concept, with the following comments: a. The Palladian window and parapet above the entry are almost a"cliche"' and are not needed to enhance the design—I think it would be more appropriate and successful to do something else here-either different window, or change proportions of window, gable and trim. b. I question the use of shutters in this style, especially on the curved wa11— the shutters do not read as shutters in the sketch or on the elevation. Only two windows in the front seem to have shutters and this is not repeated. I would suggest thought be given to creating more of a shadow line at these second floor windows by recessing the wall slightly, similar to the lower floor but not as deep, and using wider windows, or some other device in lieu of shutters. Jerry L. Winges, AIA 3