Design board approves single‑story house at 341 Karen Way with reduced rear setback

The Tiburon Design Review Board on Oct. 2 approved a reduced rear‑yard setback for a proposed single‑story residence at 341 Karen Way in the Bel Air neighborhood, adopting the draft resolution with a CEQA categorical‑exemption finding. The applicant, whose name was not provided on the record but who presented plans in the hearing, described a single‑story replacement home aimed at maintaining the neighborhood’s predominant single‑story scale and preserving usable backyard space. The existing house is older and roughly 1,006 square feet, and the proposed design includes five bedrooms and three bathrooms with an L‑shaped plan centered on indoor–outdoor access. Applicant materials and testimony noted that a portion of the rear yard is steep and largely unusable, which the applicant and staff said supports the variance finding for a reduced rear setback. The applicant said they conducted outreach to immediate neighbors and submitted support letters; staff reported eight letters of support from nearby residents. Board members debated the degree of the encroachment and the visual massing created by the proposed wall and large front glazing. One board member said the elevation and glazing made the house read larger; others said preserving a single‑story form and providing usable rear yard justified the setback relief. Several members noted that a small number of nearby properties already have similar setback encroachments, and that two‑story construction was not the intent for the neighborhood. The board voted to adopt the draft resolution approving the rear setback variance to 19 feet 7 inches; the motion passed with one member recorded as opposed. Staff confirmed the project will proceed under standard building‑permit review with the adopted conditions and CEQA exemption. Why it matters: the decision preserves single‑story neighborhood character while permitting a larger, modern single‑level home; it reflects the board’s approach to balancing neighborhood scale, lot constraints and homeowner renovation requests.