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Board approves four‑unit multifamily building on Hawthorne/Second Street with narrow understory setback and reduced understory height waiver
Summary
The board approved a four‑unit, four‑story multi‑family building at 4580 Second Street in the RM‑1 district, granting variances to permit a parking surface closer to the street than normally allowed, a reduced interior side setback for elevator/stair bulkheads, and a waiver to reduce understory clear height from 12 feet to 10 feet.
The Design Review Board approved a proposed four‑unit multifamily building at 4580 Second Street, a corner lot at Hawthorne Avenue, following a staff recommendation and a presentation by the project team highlighting townhouse‑style units, substantial façade articulation and on‑site parking.
Rogelio (city staff) summarized the application, noting the site’s RM‑1 zoning and that the project’s floor‑area ratio and proposed building height were below code maximums. The applicant sought two variances (a reduced side‑facing‑street setback so a parking surface could be placed five feet from the property line, and a reduced interior side setback to accommodate an elevator and staircase) and a waiver to reduce required understory clearance from 12 feet to 10 feet. Staff supported the requested relief, but asked for adjustments to locate a transformer/backflow device to meet western setback requirements and to ensure the ground‑level stair return is substantially transparent per understory code language.
Architect and owner representatives presented renderings showing diversified materials and deep planters to screen the open parking area from the sidewalk. The team also described plans for a solid wall at the rear property line at the maximum allowed height to shield the parking area from adjacent neighbors and committed to a perimeter landscape that does not exceed specified heights at the sidewalk and future adjusted grade.
Several neighbors spoke in opposition citing scale, neighborhood character and privacy concerns. The board heard those speakers and also reviewed a series of staff‑recommended conditions directed at screening, pedestrian access, transformer relocation and visible stairs at grade.
After the presentation and public comment the board approved the project subject to staff conditions (including relocating the transformer/backflow device to meet setbacks or meet code, creating a pedestrian entrance on Second Street and redesigning the front stair return to be substantially transparent at the ground level). A motion to approve passed by voice vote.
Why it matters: The approval shows the board’s willingness to permit modest understory height reductions and tight setback solutions to enable on‑site parking in a narrow RM‑1 lot while emphasizing screening and pedestrian sightlines as conditions for approval.
