The Tiburon Design Review Board on Oct. 2 approved variances for 30 Juno Road to allow an 8‑foot rear yard fence along Trestle Glen and to move the property’s driveway to the north side of the lot, with conditions limiting tree canopy and excluding pyrophilic species.
Property owner and presenter RJ Suko told the board the parcel and existing driveway on the south side of the lot create an unsafe sight‑distance condition for vehicles entering and leaving Juno Road because Trestle Glen is an arterial with higher traffic and noise. Suko presented stopping‑distance diagrams and a site profile showing how a two‑foot additional fence height would increase privacy and reduce intrusive sound for rear‑yard users.
Suko said the fence variance is paired with a planting proposal of four California pepper trees and a horizontal cedar fence on the interior side. He argued the proposed driveway relocation improves safety by providing improved sight lines for drivers entering a residential 25‑mph street from Trestle Glen and by meeting Caltrans/engineering guidance for stopping distance.
Board members generally supported the driveway relocation as a safety improvement. Several members and staff expressed reservations about the proposed California pepper trees because of growth rate and maintenance concerns. As an alternative, the board asked staff and the applicant to identify tree species that would not, at maturity, project canopy into the required 30‑foot sight triangle used for right‑of‑way visibility. Staff summarized that the town treats the 30‑foot corner triangle as a clear zone for sight distance and that vegetation or structures that intrude into the triangle should be avoided.
During the hearing the property owner noted the existing lot line setback already leaves about eight feet between curb and property line and that several nearby properties have similar fence variances or non‑standard driveways. Board discussion repeatedly returned to the need to preserve the sight‑triangle at the corner while allowing the homeowner privacy from heavy traffic noise, which the applicant documented as about 60 decibels along Trestle Glen per the Town’s General Plan map.
The board adopted the draft resolution approving the two variances with an additional condition that any trees planted have mature canopies that remain outside the 30‑foot sight triangle and that species chosen not be pyrophilic; the motion included the CEQA finding that the item is categorically exempt. The resolution passed with a unanimous vote.
Why it matters: the decision balances privacy and noise mitigation for a private property with public safety and sight‑distance standards on a busy arterial, while setting explicit landscape limits to avoid future interference with corner visibility.