Planning commission approves coastal, design and grading permits for single‑family project at Second and Farallon

The San Mateo County Planning Commission on June 25 approved a coastal development permit, design review permit and grading permit for county file PLN2023‑00016, allowing construction of a multistory single‑family residence with an attached four‑car garage at the corner of Second Street and Farallon Avenue. The commission voted unanimously to find the project categorically exempt from CEQA under CEQA Guidelines section 15303(a) and to approve the permits subject to conditions listed in the staff report.

Project planner Sono Agarwal told the commission the application, submitted for owner Rustic Enterprises Incorporated and applicant Bobak Bakhtari, is for a roughly 4,344–4,370 square‑foot three‑story residence on a 10,000 square‑foot corner parcel. “The item before you is a coastal development permit, design review permit, and grading permit to allow construction of a new 4,370 square feet, 3 story single family residence with an attached 1,556 square feet 4 car garage,” Agarwal said. Agarwal said the site is appealable to the California Coastal Commission and that the proposed building height (about 23 feet, 8½ inches) is below the district maximum of 28 feet.

Why it matters: Neighbors raised concerns about scale, traffic safety at an uncontrolled corner, and drainage in a neighborhood with limited stormwater infrastructure. Staff and the…