TITLE
Recommendation to receive supporting documentation into the record, conclude the hearing, consider the Belmont Heights Community Association’s appeal, and uphold the decision of the Planning Commission to approve a Standards Variance allowing the reconstruction of a second home, demolished without a permit, at
237 Roycroft Avenue within the Single Family Residential zone. (District 3)
DISCUSSION
The proposed project is the reconstruction of a single-family home on the west side of Roycroft Avenue between Vista Street (north) and East Broadway (south). The subject property, an interior lot, measures 6,350 square feet and is located in the R-1-N zone (Single-Family District with Standard Lots). The property currently contains a rear, 926-square-foot guesthouse atop a four-car garage and the footings of a former two-story, 1,925-square-foot single-family front unit. The rebuilding of the front unit, demolished during a small home addition and remodel project in July 2012, is the subject of this request.
On May 10, 2012, plans for a complete remodel of the front unit along with a 108-square-foot front entry addition were filed with Development Services. As part of the remodel, all interior walls of the two-story home were to be removed. Planning corrections issued on May 15, 2012 sought information on the extent of exterior wall removals (removal of more than 50 percent of exterior walls constitutes a demolition) and clarification of the front entry addition height, among other things. Subsequent discussion with the applicant’s contractor highlighted the consequences of a potential demolition and the need for a reduced entry addition height.
Plan revisions were made, and on June 18, 2012, building permit BADD135068 was issued for the remodel-addition. Approved plans indicated the removal of only 20.5 linear feet of the structure's exterior walls, all in the area of the front entry addition.
During construction, however, all exterior walls were...
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