Commission approves revised site plan and architectural changes for addition, detached garage at 8141 Pershing

The Planning Commission/ARB approved revised site plan and architectural review applications on Aug. 18 for a residential addition and a detached accessory garage at 8141 Pershing after the applicant revised plans to meet impervious-coverage standards and to address prior staff comments.

Planner Ryan said the property is zoned R-2 in the Clayton Gardens Urban Design District and that the revised site plan reduced impervious coverage to 54.98%, meeting the R-2 limit. Ryan read three conditions of approval recommended by staff: (1) the applicant must contribute to the city forestry fund in accordance with section 4 0 5 4 1 1 0 c 2, (2) the applicant must record a deed restriction documenting the location and maintenance requirements of the proposed dry well and submit proof of recording before building permits are issued, and (3) the applicant must provide a percolation test report from a qualified geotechnical engineer assessing the dry well's performance under an anticipated 15-year, 20-minute storm; if the dry well is insufficient it must be upsized to meet stormwater standards.

The applicant said they revised the driveway footprint and reduced the turnaround area to meet city requirements and confirmed they were not requesting an increase in impervious materials. The applicant and commissioners discussed lot sizes in the block and the constraint of a small yard.

Commissioners raised several substantive concerns during the architectural review discussion: the absence of mature trees and the project's proximity to the city's canopy and stormwater goals; the placement and access to trash containers across lawn areas; the location of a new six-inch pop-up emitter close to the dry well and whether the dry well sizing accounted for that discharge; and whether the detached accessory structure met the code definition of a one-and-a-half-story accessory building because the upper floor footprint is equal to the lower. The applicant said building height would meet the city's 16-foot limit (the proposed height was reported in the record at 15 feet, 8 inches) and that the upper level would have reduced standing headroom toward the eaves.

On exterior materials, the applicant requested alternative compliance to allow more use of James Hardie siding on rear facades; the applicant said the rear extension is an existing, low-quality siding and that the proposed Hardie board would be an improvement. One commissioner said the request did not clearly meet the "unusual circumstance" test for alternative compliance and recommended shrinking a dormer to reduce visible siding. After discussion, the board approved the site plan with the three staff conditions and approved the architectural changes as presented; the transcript records a voice vote in favor and no formal amendments to the staff conditions.

Work is expected to begin following the applicant's completion of construction documents and required permitting steps.