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Design Review Board OKs Sacca family Nautilus home with variances for fence, driveway and stair width
Summary
The board approved a remodel/new‑construction application at 4330 Nautilus Drive that included a waiver to permit a fully solid 7‑foot fence, a variance reducing required pervious front yard open space to allow a U‑shaped circular driveway, and a variance allowing a 9'10" wide stair where code limits encroaching steps to 5 feet.
The Design Review Board approved design relief and waivers for a new two‑story residence with an understory at 4330 Nautilus Drive, a project the applicant said will replace a family longtime property and provide a circular driveway and larger entry stair consistent with the home’s 84‑foot‑wide lot.
City staff described the application and recommended approval of the requested waivers and variances. Staff said the proposed house met the code’s massing and height rules and that the requested adjustments were compatible with the neighborhood: the waiver for a fully solid 7‑foot fence was recommended for privacy given the site’s elevated grade; the variance reducing the front yard pervious open space requirement from 70% to about 49.6% was supported because a circular drive reflects patterns on nearby lots and limits on‑street parking; and the variance permitting steps up to 9 feet 10 inches wide into the required front setback was justified by the unusual 84‑foot lot width and the design intent.
Attorney Ethan Wasserman and architect Ralph Choiff presented on behalf of the Sacca family, and emphasized that the home otherwise complies with height, lot coverage and unit‑size limits and that the requests were for exterior elements related to circulation, privacy and safety. The applicant noted the understory is eight feet with a two‑foot structure making the finished first floor 10 feet above the ground plane.
Neighbors provided mixed comment during the public‑comment period. Several nearby residents said they opposed the overall scale, raising concerns about privacy, light intrusion and how the elevated finished floor heights relate to smaller one‑ and two‑story homes nearby. Others — including immediate neighbors and homeowners who said they have long ties to the block — said they supported the proposal and specifically commended the circular driveway for reducing street backing and the house’s design quality.
Board members stressed that many concerns — for example broader questions about height and elevating homes to meet flood‑resiliency code — are set by city policy and not within the board’s authority. Several members supported the requested waivers and variances as reasonable for the lot width and as improving safety by keeping cars on site rather than parking in the swale. The board also asked the applicant to consider permeable/grass pavers in street‑setback areas; the applicant indicated willingness to discuss grass pavers with staff.
A motion to approve the design review application with the conditions in the draft order (including staff’s noted corrections to code citations) passed by voice vote. The board’s packet lists conditions that the applicant must satisfy during permit review, including resolving minor lot‑coverage and overhang measurements and compliance with required civil drainage and exfiltration systems.
Why it matters: The decision allows a large single‑family home to proceed with exterior elements (driveway geometry, fence material and stair width) tailored to the lot while highlighting ongoing neighborhood tensions over elevated, large‑footprint houses constructed to meet current flood‑resiliency standards.
