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ERC 12-05-01Design Review Committee December 5, 2001 Cupertino, CA 950! 4 (408) 777-3308 APPROVED MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE HELD ON DECEMBER 5, 2001 ROLL CALL Committee Members present: Committee Members absent: Staff present: APPROVAL OF MINUTES: 1. November 7,2001 Marc Auerbach, Chairperson Angela Chen, Commissioner None Peter Gilli, Associate Planner Minutes of the November 7, 2001 Design Review Committee meeting approved. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS: POSTPONEMENTS/REMOVAL FROM CALENDAR: ORAL COMMUNICATION: None CONSENT CALENDAR: None OLD BUSINESS: None NEW BUSINESS: None PUBLIC HEARING: 2. Application: Applicant: Location: 16-R-01 Chiping Yang (Dick Fang) 10660 Santa Lucia Road Design review of a new 4,021 square foot, two-story residence on a 9,680 square foot parcel resulting in a floor area ratio of 42%. Design Review Committee decision final unless appealed Design Revlew Committee December 5, 2001 Staff Presentation: Peter Gilli, Associate Planner, described the type of homes located in the neighborhood where the applicant has proposed this new residence. The applicant has taken the steps to reduce the wall heights and meets the setback requirements. The geologist is requiring some additional information from the applicant. However, instead of holding up the project, a condition has been added to the model resolution making the approval contingent upon the determination that the location of the fault line will not require the building to be moved on the site. If the fault runs undemeath the house, the approval will be null. Larry Cannon, Architectural Consultant, has reviewed the plans and has considered the design and elevations to be well done. Mr. Cannon had few comments that the applicant has already addressed. Mr. Gilli explained that the only remaining concern was the from elevation, specifically the second story windows and how they relate to the ground floor. However, in reviewing the location of the garage roof, there was nothing the applicant could do to address that situation without going through a complete redesign. Staff is recommending approval subject to the revised model resolmion. Commissioner Chen asked Mr. Gilli aborn the height of the proposed home in relation to the existing homes in the neighborhood. Mr. Gilli explained that all of the two-story homes surrounding proposed home have similar total floor area ratios, but the mass will appear larger because of the second story. Chairperson Auerbach expressed concern about the possible views from the neighboring street at the rear of the property. Mr. Gilli stated that most of the homes in that area should be single family with a few duplexes. Because of privacy protection, most of the views should already be blocked. Mr. Gilli explained in more detail about the south elevation and the window elemem above the garage. The window element is not in the middle of the wall area, but to one side. The applicant cannot move it over without making it a shorter window and the window needs to be a certain height to be an egress window. An option is to cut the roof out, but it usually ends up looking worse than the original situation. Discussion continued regarding lot size calculations. Chairperson Auerbach asked Mr. Gilli about the planting plan for privacy mitigations. Mr. Gilli stated that the applicant was proposing Italian Cypress trees and in the rear of the property, they are planting larger trees with wider spreads. Dick Fang, Project Designer, briefly described the slope and the property lines. Mr. Fang explained the changes that were made to the project to achieve the proposed application. Regarding privacy protection, Mr. Fang showed the Commission the existing trees in relation to the fence height. An arborist's report is being supplied to determine the health of some the existing pines. Mr. Fang also stated that he is proposing to use wood trim, versus stucco trim. Mr. Gilli showed the Commission the material board for the project. Chairperson Auerbach was concerned, not with this project in particular, but with the collection of projects in the area and the role of the Committee. The first concern is the R1 ordinance in general. Another concern is the required landscape planting which seems satisfactory from the privacy point of view. Before 1999, applications could build Deslgn Review Commlttee December 5, 2001 to 45% ftoor area ratio without any Design Review Conunittee approval. After 1999, the residential design process changed, and the Design Review Conunittee was formed to give the City more control over houses that were occupying more than 35% of the lot. Projects need to be consistent with the General Plan. Mr. Auerbach stated that the homes on the south side of the project are pre-1999 developments and on the proposed project side of the street are much smaller homes. Mr. Auerbach feels that compatibility is really important. Commissioner Chen asked staff why it's okay for a single story home to be built up to 45% without the design review process and what the reason is to why there is a separate set of guidelines for a two-story home. Mr. Gilli explained that a two-story house will generally have more of an impact on the neighbors than a single-story house. In order to get the amount of area that an applicant may want, that applicant will need to go through a process where the neighbors have a voice. This gives neighbors a chance to address possible impacts like privacy issues and visual mass and bulk. Mr. Auerbach stated that the issue is what constitutes a neighborhood and what is the pattern of development in this particular neighborhood? Regarding materials, the homes are darkly colored and are a different style from the proposed application. Ms. Chen thought in the past staff recommended a variety of styles. Mr. Gilli stated that in general, staff tries not to recommend specific materials or colors for roofs and walls. Staff concentrates on issues of mass and bulk such as wall heights and eave lines for compatibility. Commissioner Chen moved to approve 16-R-01 as amended. MOTION: SECOND: ABSENT: ABSTAiN: VOTE: Commissioner Chen moved to approve Chairperson Corr none none Passed 2 - 0 Respectfully submitted: Kiersa Witt Administrative Clerk g:plarming/DRC Committee/Minutes 120501