Commission holds study session on 1 Redwood proposal after developers shrink design and drop ADU

The commission held a study session Jan. 14 for PLN 2410, a proposed demolition and replacement of the residence at 1 Redwood Avenue. Staff and the applicant presented a substantially revised design after earlier public comment urged reduced massing and retention of an on‑site oak tree.

Staff reminded commissioners that the earlier design had been larger and that the commission’s prior feedback centered on reducing overall size, lowering plate heights and, if possible, preserving a large oak tree on the site. Staff summarized the project as a proposed two‑story residence with an attached accessory unit in earlier drafts; the current iteration removes the ADU and reduces the total floor area so that — after counting exempt subgrade storage — the proposal would be approximately 2,772 square feet of counted floor area.

City planning staff told the commission the project still requires design review, an FAR exception, a slope‑use permit and setback and parking variances in some configurations. The project team said they had pushed the garage closer to Redwood Avenue in the new plan to preserve the oak tree and reduce grading; after the city arborist reviewed the scheme, the arborist concluded that construction would endanger the oak’s health and recommended removal and replanting elsewhere. Staff advised that redesign options to preserve the tree had been explored but that the city arborist’s current assessment was that retention was infeasible.

Architect Kenneth Holder described the lot as “an extremely tricky lot” and outlined design changes: the garage was relocated to the street, the plate heights lowered across the plan, and the ADU removed to reduce building bulk and neighborhood parking impacts. Holder said the team cut roughly 500 square feet from a prior draft and introduced additional plantings along the street to soften the streetscape.

Public comment split between neighbors who supported a reduced design and neighbors urging that the oak be preserved. Several residents said the ADU was a major source of concern because of parking effects; the applicant’s team removed the ADU following neighborhood meetings. Neighbor Brian Berry, who lives across the street, urged commissioners to protect the oak and said he believed the tree to be healthy; other neighbors said they accepted the removal if replanting and mitigation were required.

Commissioners complimented the architectural quality while asking for additional refinement to reduce the perceived street‑facing mass, and they directed the applicant to return with final materials, a clear parking plan that provides four off‑street spaces, a tree removal/mitigation plan if the oak is removed, and details for any retaining walls or foundation work that could be affected by nearby public right‑of‑way trees. The item will return for a formally noticed hearing with updated plans.