San Mateo County design committee recommends approval of El Granada house with conditions

The San Mateo County Design Review Committee on Feb. 13 voted to recommend approval of a major modification to a single‑family residence at 771 San Carlos Avenue in El Granada, approving design elements subject to conditions intended to limit impacts in a nearby riparian corridor.

The committee’s recommendation covers construction of a new three‑story single‑family home of about 1,670 square feet, an attached 371‑square‑foot garage and a 790‑square‑foot accessory dwelling unit on a legal 7,070‑square‑foot parcel. The committee framed its action as a design‑review recommendation; final approval will be made later by the Planning Commission.

The committee’s recommendation includes several conditions: any building elements that extend beyond the county’s 30‑foot riparian buffer must not touch the ground (for example, be cantilevered) or be achieved with pervious construction; roof and yard drainage must be routed to approved on‑site retention rather than discharging directly into the buffer; and one small vertical siding “pop‑out” on the east elevation should be changed to…