The Rolling Hills Planning Commission on Dec. 19 approved a modification to Zoning Case 21-02 allowing a retaining wall at 11 Fly Main Road to be raised by 18 inches, and accepted related site-plan changes including an expanded barbecue area, an outdoor shower and a screened service yard to hold mechanical equipment and solar batteries.

The decision implements a second modification to an earlier approval for demolition of an existing 5,292-square-foot residence and construction of a new 5,215-square-foot home. The commission’s staff report and the applicant said the 18-inch increase — from a 5-foot wall to a 6½-foot maximum — was requested to maintain the existing trail grade adjacent to the property and to avoid additional cut-and-fill within a nearby easement.

Planning staff described the project as a second modification to the site-plan review and variance initially approved June 21, 2022, and modified Aug. 16, 2022. That earlier modification added an approximately 1,400-square-foot basement and adjusted grading; building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing and septic permits were later issued. “It’s gonna be 6 and a half feet,” John said of the new wall height during the presentation.

The commission’s packet shows the subject lot is zoned RAS-1 and is under one acre (the city applies a one-acre threshold under code). The revised plans place a service yard roughly 10 feet from the property line and outside an RHA easement; the yard will house equipment the applicant listed as condensers, a tankless water heater and solar batteries, and will be screened by a fence. The homeowner also expanded a previously shown 15-square-foot barbecue to include a counter, sink and refrigerator, and added an outdoor shower and pool bath adjacent to an on-site indoor pool.

Staff recommended the commission open the public hearing, take testimony and then consider a resolution of approval. No members of the public spoke on the item during the meeting. Commissioners who had visited the site earlier that day said they observed conditions supporting the change and raised no objections about the screening or setback adjustments discussed in the packet.

The commission considered a resolution numbered 2023-16 to approve the modification and variance and adopted it by roll call. The roll call in the record shows Commissioner Cooley voting “yes,” Commissioner Karnes voting “approved,” and Vice Chair Kirkpatrick voting “yes.” The motion was recorded as approved; the record does not list all individual votes in the transcript excerpt provided.

Staff also advised the project is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act under CEQA Guidelines section 15303 (Class 3), which covers small structures and alterations of existing facilities; that exemption was noted in the staff recommendation presented to the commission.

The commission discussed limited neighbor interaction with the application; staff said they had met with adjacent property owners about an existing rock wall and a potential shift to widen the easement access to a barn. Commissioners asked staff whether any correspondence had been received from neighbors; staff replied no correspondence had been received. A commissioner noted the proposed adjustments could improve access to the neighboring barn if the adjacent wall is moved back, but said any relocation of the neighbor’s wall would be a matter for the property owners to resolve.

The file on the project includes the earlier approvals: demolition and new-build approvals (June 21, 2022), Modification No. 1 adding an approximately 1,400-square-foot basement (Aug. 16, 2022), plus the current request for an 18-inch increase to a retaining wall and modest amenity expansions. The commission closed the public hearing and voted to adopt Resolution No. 2023-16 as written.