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Sudden Valley ACC denies new-construction plan for 22 Hillside Place over steep driveway and tree impacts
Summary
The Sudden Valley Architectural Control Committee denied a new-construction application for 22 Hillside Place after members said the proposed driveway slope and tree removals posed safety and aesthetic concerns and required further information before approval.
The Sudden Valley Architectural Control Committee denied the new-construction application for 22 Hillside Place, citing an unsafe driveway slope and incomplete information about tree removal and stormwater plans. The committee voted to deny the application and asked the builder for revised drawings and additional reports.
Committee members said the driveway on the proposed plan would be too steep for the lot and the neighborhood. Joel, a staff member presenting the plan, said one change set showed a driveway angle that corresponds to about a 23 percent slope on one side and roughly 18 percent on the other. ACC members said that slope, combined with the road grade where the driveway meets the street, creates a safety risk and could encourage on-street parking.
Ed, the project manager for the builder, said the lot is small and that the design team had adjusted the house elevation and driveway in subsequent revisions. He also confirmed trees near the proposed foundation and retaining walls may need removal. Joel said revised plans submitted after the meeting deadline reduced the house footprint and included notes about additional retaining walls and revised lighting and driveway details, but the committee said the submission lacked finalized materials and a clear tree/landscape plan.
The committee listed several items it must see before reconsidering approval: a documented driveway slope that reduces the steepness, a detailed tree-removal and replanting plan (including specific species), an exterior lighting plan, water/sewer connection details and a stormwater plan, and clearer finished-grade drawings showing any required retaining walls. The committee also asked the applicant to show where the house could be moved on the lot to preserve trees and reduce impacts on the neighboring property.
The motion to deny was made by ACC member John (name on file) and carried after a voice vote. Committee members noted the denial reflected both the new driveway guidance the ACC is implementing and longstanding safety concerns the ACC has raised about steep driveways in Sudden Valley.
The committee signaled it is willing to review a revised submission that addresses the stated items, including explicit documentation of any retaining-wall work and a tree mitigation/replanting plan.
The application was denied pending resubmittal of the requested materials.
