Single Family Design Board continues 805 Margo Street addition; waives FAR study and story poles

The Santa Barbara Single Family Design Board on Aug. 11 continued concept review of a remodel and two-story addition at 805 Margo Street, asking the applicant to return to the full board with additional drawings and details while waiving the floor-area-ratio study and related story poles.

The board’s action followed a presentation by Liz Hughes of Tom Foster Architect and colleague Emma Nightingale. The project would add a 270-square-foot first-floor addition, a 632-square-foot second-floor addition, and a 537-square-foot covered patio to an existing single-story residence; it would convert an existing 414-square-foot garage into a junior accessory dwelling unit (JADU). The submittal shows a total proposed area of 2,660 square feet on a 7,342-square-foot lot, representing 88% of the maximum allowed FAR. No appealable decision was made at the hearing.

Why it matters: the house sits on a corner lot on a sloping street where neighbors raised privacy, noise and hillside integrity concerns. The board’s decision to continue the item means the project will return with refined street- and neighbor-facing views, clearer window and entry details, and additional documentation the…