The Piedmont City Council voted on Aug. 18 to rescind its April 1, 2024, conditional approval and to approve a revised design review permit (DRPC2023-018) for a new house at 139 Lexford Road with amended conditions. Planning and Building Director Kevin Jackson presented staff’s recommendation to adopt a resolution making findings for approval and applying a set of 37 conditions of approval.

Jackson said the city previously applied 29 conditions in April 2024 and that the property owners requested modifications; staff reviewed the requested revisions and recommended approval along with a handful of new conditions related to environmental assessments following recent general plan amendments. Staff also recommended a CEQA determination that the project is exempt under California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines sections 15303 and 15304.

An applicant representative, identified on the public comment card as Willis Y., addressed the council and said the owners appreciate staff's work over the past couple of years and look forward to building a home in the community.

Council member Ramsey confirmed there were no design changes beyond the requested condition changes; staff confirmed as part of the record that requested changes were to conditions of approval rather than project design. The vice mayor moved approval of the resolution rescinding the prior conditional approval and approving the amended design review permit; the motion was seconded and passed unanimously among members present. Council Member Long was absent.

The council’s resolution adopts the findings supporting design review approval, applies the 37 conditions of approval on the record, and records the CEQA exemptions under Guidelines sections 15303 and 15304. Staff did not report any further environmental mitigation conditions beyond those reflected in the conditions of approval attached to the resolution. The council did not take additional land-use actions at the meeting.