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Home My WebLink AboutItem 1 - MC 15-04_925 Hugo ReidMC 15-04 March 10, 2015 Page 1 of 4 DATE: March 10, 2015 TO: Honorable Chairman and Modification Committee FROM: Lisa L. Flores, Planning Services Manager By: Nick Baldwin, Assistant Planner SUBJECT: MODIFICATION NO. MC 15-04 WITH A CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) FOR A ONE-STORY ADDITION, A NEW DETACHED GARAGE, AND A NEW AIR CONDITIONING UNIT WITH MODIFICATIONS TO VARIOUS SETBACKS AND REAR YARD LOT COVERAGE AT 915 HUGO REID DRIVE Recommendation: Conditional Approval BACKGROUND The subject property is a 9,509 square foot interior lot that is located within the Santa Anita Village Home Owners Association, zoned R-1&D – refer to Attachment No. 1 for an aerial photo with zoning information and photos of the subject property and surrounding properties. The subject property is currently improved with a 1,737 square foot, one story single-family house that was built in 1948 and a detached three-car garage and laundry room that was built in 2002. The rear of the property abuts the Los Angeles County Arboretum. Also, the lot width varies, with the narrowest part at the rear lot line. Encroachments into the rear and side yard setbacks are typically handled administratively when the addition is less than 30’-0” in length, but this application is before the Modification Committee because the new detached garaged exceeds the required rear yard lot coverage, which requires approval by the Modification Committee. On February 5, 2015, the Santa Anita Village Homeowners Association approved the design. ANALYSIS The Applicant is proposing to demolish the existing 809 square foot detached three-car garage and laundry room that is currently located on the west side of the rear yard area, and replace it with a smaller, 433 square foot, two-car detached garage in the easterly MC 15-04 March 10, 2015 Page 2 of 4 corner of the rear yard. The Applicant is also proposing to add several additions to the existing 1,737 square foot, single story house. The additions to the house include a new 714 square foot one-story addition at the rear of the residence, an attached 180 square foot rear covered patio, and enclose the 46 square foot front porch to livable space – refer to Attachment No. 2 for the proposed Architectural Plans. A new air conditioning unit will also be placed next to the existing air conditioning unit in the westerly side yard. The proposed project is subject to three modifications. The first modification would allow the new 760 square foot, one story addition at the rear of the residence to have a side yard setback that varies from 7’-11” to 5’-2” in lieu of the minimum requirement of 8’-0”, but no portion of the new addition will encroach further into the required side yard setback than the existing house. The second modification would allow the new 433 square foot detached two-car garage at the rear of the property to be setback 1’-0” from the rear property line instead of the minimum requirement of 5’-0”, an easterly side yard setback of 3’-0” instead of 8’-0”, and a rear yard lot coverage of 29% instead of the minimum requirement of 25%. The last modification is to allow a second air conditioning unit adjacent to an existing unit in the westerly side yard area at a setback 4’-0” instead of 8’-0”. The existing air conditioning unit is currently 3’- 8” from the side property line. The Building Official has reviewed the plans and verified that the project complies with the code as long as there are no openings on the garage walls and the eaves are one-hour fire-rated. With the exception of the subject modification requests, the proposal meets all other R-1 zoning regulations. FINDINGS Section 9292.1.4 of the Arcadia Municipal Code states that the purpose of the Modification procedures is for the following: 1. Secure an appropriate improvement of a lot; 2. Prevent an unreasonable hardship; or 3. Promote uniformity of development Modification No. 1 – new addition Modification No. 3 – A/C unit Modification No. 2 – new detached garage MC 15-04 March 10, 2015 Page 3 of 4 With the approval of the proposed modifications, the proposed development meets all other zoning requirements. The modifications for the detached garage allow the applicant to comply with the 25’-0” minimum back up area and have a more usable back yard. The placement of the detached garage at the rear corner of the lot is uniform with the many other developments in the immediate area (Refer to Attachment No. 3). The modifications for the rear addition and the air conditioning equipment are appropriate improvements to the lot because they do not encroach further into the existing setbacks of the house and air conditioning equipment. For these reasons, it is recommended that the modifications be approved as the proposed additions would be an appropriate improvement to this lot. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS The proposed project qualifies as a Class 5 Exemption for Minor Alterations in Land Use Limitations from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under Section 15305 of the CEQA Guidelines. PUBLIC COMMENTS Public hearing notices were mailed on February 27, 2015 to the property owners within 100 feet of the subject site. As of March 2, 2015, staff has not received any public comments on this project. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the Modification Committee conditionally approve Modification Application No. MC 15-04 and find that the project is exempt per CEQA Section 15305, subject to the following conditions of approval: 1. The eaves of the detached garage shall be one-hour fire rated. 2. The applicant shall defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the City of Arcadia and its officials, officers, employees, and agents from and against any claim, action, or proceeding against the City of Arcadia, its officials, officers, employees or agents to attack, set aside, void, or annul any approval or conditional approval of the City of Arcadia concerning this project and/or land use decision, including but not limited to any approval or conditional approval of the City Council, Planning Commission, Modification Committee, or City Staff, which action is brought within the time period provided for in Government Code Section 66499.37 or other provision of law applicable to this project or decision. The City shall promptly notify the applicant of any claim, action, or proceeding concerning the project and/or land use decision and the City shall cooperate fully in the defense of the matter. The City reserves the right, at its own option, to choose its own attorney to represent the City, its officials, officers, employees, and agents in the defense of the matter. 3. Approval of MC 15-04 shall not be of effect unless on or before 30 calendar days after approval of this project, the property owner/applicant has executed and filed MC 15-04 March 10, 2015 Page 4 of 4 with the Community Development Administrator or designee an Acceptance Form available from the Development Services Department to indicate awareness and acceptance of these conditions of approval. Attachment No. 1: Aerial Photo with Zoning Information & Photos of Subject Property and Vicinity Attachment No. 2: Architectural Plans Attachment No. 3: Rear Detached Garages in the Vicinity Attachment No. 1 Aerial Photo with Zoning Information & Photos of Subject Property and Vicinity Overlays Selected parcel highlighted Parcel location within City of ArcadiaD n/a n/a n/a Property Owner(s): Architectural Design Overlay: Downtown Overlay: Special Height Overlay: Parking Overlay: Lot Area (sq ft): Year Built: Main Structure / Unit (sq. ft.): General Plan: R-1 (7,500) Number of Units: LDR Zoning: Property Characteristics 1948 1,737 1 CALLAHAN,LESLIE S AND SARAH TRS CALLAHAN TRUST Site Address: 915 HUGO REID DR This map is a user generated static output from an Internet mapping site and is for reference only. Data layers that appear on this map may or may not be accurate, current, or otherwise reliable. Report generated03-Mar-2015 Page 1 of 1 915 Hugo Reid Drive, Subject Property, View from the Street Subject Property, View from the Front Yard Subject Property, View from the Easterly Side Yard Subject Property, View from the Easterly Side Yard Subject Property, View from RearYard Subject Property, View from Rear Yard Subject Property, View from Rear Yard Subject Property, View of the Rear Yard Between the House and the Detached Garage Subject Property, View of the Rear Yard Between the House and the Detached Garage Subject Property, View of the Rear Yard Between the House and the Detached Garage Subject Property, View of the Westerly Side Yard Subject Property, View of the Westerly Side Yard 907 Hugo Reid Drive, Adjacent lot to the East 36 S. Golden West Ave., Adjacent lot to the West 910 Hugo Reid Drive., Lot across the Street 920 Hugo Reid Drive., Lot across the Street Attachment No. 2 Architectural Plans