HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem No. 2 - 1820 S. Santa Anita AveMC 16-09 and Admin ADR No. 16-63
September 13, 2016
Page 1 of 4
DATE: September 13, 2016
TO: Honorable Chairman and Modification Committee
FROM: Lisa Flores, Planning Services Manager
By: Jordan Chamberlin, Assistant Planner
SUBJECT: MODIFICATION NO. MC 16-09 AND ADMINISTRATIVE
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN REVIEW NO. ADMIN ADR 16-63 WITH A
CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION FROM THE CALIFORNIA
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) TO REPLACE THE
EXISTING SOLID WALL WITH A NEW SOLID WALL THAT EXCEEDS
THE MAXIMUM HEIGHT LIMIT WITHIN THE FRONT YARD SETBACK
AT 1820 S. SANTA ANITA AVENUE
Recommendation: Conditional Approval
BACKGROUND
The subject property is a 23,960 square foot, reverse corner lot, zoned R-1 - Single
Family. It is located at the southeast corner of South Santa Anita Avenue and East
Lemon Avenue and is developed with a 6,178 square foot, two story Mediterranean
style, single family residence with an attached four car garage that was built in 1932 -
refer to Attachment No. 1 for an aerial photo with zoning information and photos of the
subject property and surrounding properties. The properties to the north, south, east
and west are all zoned Single Family Residential (R-1).
Currently, there is an existing solid beige
colored stucco wall with red brick pilasters
along the front property line adjacent to
Lemon Avenue (refer to image on the left).
The wall ranges from 18-inches to 4 feet in
height. A Modification was approved in 1977
to allow a 5 foot high solid wood fence in the
front yard setback in lieu of a maximum
permitted height of the 3 feet high open work
fence. A portion of that fence was later
replaced with a solid wall.
MC 16-09 and Admin ADR No. 16-63
September 13, 2016
Page 2 of 4
Earlier this year the City permitted an interior and exterior remodel to the existing house,
and approved a 1,087 square-foot first story addition, and an 850 square-foot second
story addition. The house is currently under construction.
ANALYSIS
Per AMC Sec. 9292.1.4, modifications to fence, wall and hedge regulations may be
permitted upon approval by the Modification Committee.
The applicant is requesting approval to maintain the existing fence along Lemon
Avenue and replace 40 feet of the easterly portion of the wall, which ranges from 18-
inches to 4 feet in height, with a 4 feet high solid wall, pilasters and wrought iron gate –
refer to the image below and Attachment No. 2 for the full fence elevation. The existing
brick pilasters will be stuccoed and the entire wall will be painted to match the new color
of the house, which is off-white.
Per Arcadia Municipal Code Section 9220.42, The front lot width is the narrowest or
shortest of the two street frontages. Since the lot line on Lemon Avenue is the shortest
of the two lot lines, it is considered the front and Santa Anita Avenue is the street-side
yard area.
The Single Family Zoning Regulations (R-1) limits the height of fences, pilasters, and
pedestrian gates within the required front yard setback area to a maximum height limit
of 3 feet. Only an 8-inch solid decorative base is permitted, the rest of the fence is
required to be an open work design.
The front of the existing home is oriented toward Santa Anita Avenue, the street-side
property line and the side of the home is oriented toward Lemon Avenue. The requested
4 foot high wall and gate will have minimal impact to the streetscape since the site
already has an existing wall and the new wall will look the same as the existing and at
the same height
The City Engineer reviewed the proposal to ensure no portions of the new wall will
impede visibility at that intersection and determined that the wall, pilasters, and gate
would not create any impact.
The proposed wall will match the style and height of the existing wall to remain which is
encouraged in the City’s Single Family Residential Design Guidelines. The proposed
architectural style is compatible with the existing residences and the City’s Design
Guidelines.
MC 16-09 and Admin ADR No. 16-63
September 13, 2016
Page 3 of 4
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.
With the approval of the proposed modification, the proposal will meet all other zoning
requirements. The proposed modification will secure an appropriate improvement of the
lot with minimal impact to the streetscape because the front of the home faces Santa
Anita Avenue. The new wall, pilasters, and gate will be in the same location as the
existing fence. It will also promote uniformity because it will match the existing wall in
style and height as the existing walls.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
The proposed project qualifies as a Class 5 Exemption as minor alterations to 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 September 1, 2016 to the property owners within
100 feet of the subject site. Staff did not receive any public comments on this item.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Modification Committee approve Modification Application
No. MC 16-09 and Administrative Architectural Design Review No. Admin ADR 16-63
and find that the project is exempt per CEQA Section 15305, subject to the following
conditions of approval:
1. 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
MC 16-09 and Admin ADR No. 16-63
September 13, 2016
Page 4 of 4
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.
2. Approval of MC 16-09 and Admin ADR 16-63 and 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 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 and Photos of the Subject
Property and Surrounding Properties
Attachment No. 2: Proposed Architectural Plans
Attachment No. 1
Attachment No. 1
Aerial Photo with Zoning Information and
Photos of the Subject Property and
Surrounding Properties
Property Characteristics
Zoning: R-1 (7,500)
General Plan: LDR
Lot Area (sq ft): 23,960
Main Structure / Unit (sq. ft.): 6,178
Year Built: 1932
Number of Units: 1
Overlays
Parking Overlay: n/a
Downtown Overlay: n/a
Special Height Overlay: n/a
Architectural Design Overlay: n/a
Site Address:
1820 S SANTA ANITA AVE
Property Owner(s): VUONG, DIEN K. & KATHLEEN T
Selected parcel highlighted
Parcel location within City of Arcadia
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 generated 09-Sep-2016
Page 1 of 1
PhotoAofAtheAsubjectAproperty,A1820AS.ASantaA nitaA venueAfromAS.ASantaA nitaA venue
PhotoAofAtheAsubjectApropertyAandAsubjectAfence,A1820AS.ASantaA nitaA venueAfromAE.ALemonA venue
PhotoAofAtheApropertyAtoAtheAnorth,A1810AS.ASantaA nitaA veAfromAS.ASantaA nitaA venue
PhotoAofAtheApropertyAtoAtheAnorth,A1810AS.ASantaA nitaA veAfromAE.ALemonA venue
PhotoAofAtheApropertyAtoAtheAeast,A18AE.ALemonA venue
PhotoAofAtheApropertyAtoAtheAnortheast,A15AE.ALemonA venue
PhotoAofAtheApropertyAtoAtheAsouthwest,A1829AS.ASantaA nitaA venue
PhotoAofAtheApropertyAtoAtheAsouth,A1830AS.ASantaA nitaA venue
PhotoAofAtheApropertyAtoAtheAnorthwest,A1815AS.ASantaA nitaA venue
PhotoAofAtheApropertyAtoAtheAwest,A1823AS.ASantaA nitaA venue
Attachment No. 2
Attachment No. 2
Proposed Architectural Plans