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San Rafael planning commission recommends council approve new house at 287 Mountain View with hillside exceptions
Summary
The Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend City Council approve a 2,437-square-foot single-family home at 287 Mountain View Avenue that requires reductions to the front setback, garage setback and one required off-street parking space because of the lot’s slope and a narrow street.
The San Rafael Planning Commission on Jan. 28 voted unanimously to recommend that the City Council approve a major environmental and design review and a hillside exception for a new single-family home at 287 Mountain View Avenue.
The project proposes a 2,437-square-foot residence with a two-car garage on a vacant, irregularly shaped hillside lot in the Dominican Black Canyon neighborhood. The applicant requests a reduction of the R-20 front setback from 20 feet to 10 feet, a reduced garage setback that would reduce required off-street guest parking from two spaces to one because the street is less than 26 feet wide, and modest projections into the reduced setback for an uncovered exterior stair (about three to four feet).
Planning staff presented the application and the draft resolution recommending approval to the commission, noting the project meets most objective zoning standards but requires exceptions under San Rafael Municipal Code. “We have not received any direct comments for this project,” Associate Planner Renee Nganeg told the commission during the public hearing portion of the item.
Applicant architect Basilia Macias described site constraints, including a retained CMU wall, placed geogrid and earlier slope repair work performed by Cal Engineering: “This was the former site of a huge landslide that crushed the former house…we were told, stay away from the CMU wall,” Macias said, explaining the house footprint must sit in front of the wall and cannot be integrated into it.
Macias said the design team prioritized a ground-level bedroom and southern exposure for livability and aging-in-place goals: “We really, really wanted to have a place to age in place,” she said.
Commissioners asked about neighborhood outreach (staff said only one neighbor inquiry, no formal objections), the existence of a geotechnical report (staff confirmed a soils/engineer’s report was submitted and reviewed by Building, Fire, and Public Works with no issues), and materials and color choices under the Hillside Residential Design Standards. Staff clarified the city’s residential hillside standards and that recommended earth tones in the design guidance are not mandatory objective code standards.
Commissioner Kent, who offered detailed planting and fire-safety suggestions for the landscape plan, reminded the applicant about recent changes to allowed plantings near new construction: “The new construction won't allow plantings within 5 feet of the dwelling,” Kent said, and offered alternative plant suggestions and mulch options to reduce fire risk.
After deliberation, Commissioner Summers moved to recommend approval to the City Council with the suggestion that the council consider Commissioner Kent’s landscape recommendations; the motion was seconded and passed on a roll call vote with all members present voting yes (Commissioner Pravatelli – aye; Commissioner Mercado – yes; Commissioner O'Leary – yes; Commissioner Sade – aye; Commissioner Summers – yes; Commissioner Rodby – aye; Chair (as recorded) Hafeland – yes).
The commission’s recommendation forwards both the major environmental and design review and the required hillside exception to the City Council, which will be the final decision-making body for the exceptions associated with this project. Staff noted the project will return on the council agenda for the exception request and associated entitlements.
The commission also discussed, but did not act on, the second agenda item; that item was postponed at the applicant’s request and will be renoticed before returning to the commission.
Votes at a glance: Recommend approval to City Council — 287 Mountain View Avenue (major environmental and design review; hillside exception for front setback and garage setback; reduction of one required off-street parking space) — Motion passed unanimously; mover: Commissioner Summers; second: Commissioner Rodby; roll call: Pravatelli (aye), Mercado (yes), O'Leary (yes), Sade (aye), Summers (yes), Rodby (aye), Chair Hafeland (yes).
