REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Public Hearing: Action on Appeal of Architectural Committee Approval for the Property at 2892 Sycamore Way
Report
BACKGROUND
The property owner of the subject residence, Lei Xu (Jane), submitted an application on March 21, 2019 for architectural approval to allow the demolition of an existing single-family residence and construction of a new 3,450 square foot two-story residence with five bedrooms, five and a half bathrooms, and an attached two-car garage. As submitted, the project design included six points of access from the exterior to the interior of the residence. The proposal also included two second-story balconies facing the rear yard.
The subject property, located at the southwest side of Sycamore Way before it turns into Bancroft Street, is 11,589 square feet in area and currently developed with a one-story residence with four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and an attached two-car garage. The site is surrounded by one- and two-story single-family residences on all sides, designated as Very Low Density Residential in the General Plan and zoned Single-Family Residential (R1-6L).
June 19, 2019 Architectural Committee Approval
The project was considered by the Architectural Committee at public hearings on April 17, 2019 and June 19, 2019. Several community members spoke in opposition to the project, describing negative impacts to the neighborhood from the property's recent use as a high-occupancy short-term rental and expressing concern that approval of the new house project would facilitate continued use of the property in this manner. Following public testimony, the Architectural Committee approved a modified version of the project to allow five bedrooms, three and a half bathrooms (instead of the proposed five and a half bathrooms), an attached two-car garage and one balcony (instead of two proposed balconies). The Committee also limited exterior access to three entrances from the front, rear and garage (instead of t...
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