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 board requested.

Project description and staff context

Hughes said the design aims to retain much of the existing landscaping and to keep the existing footprint where possible while adding a modest ground-floor bump-out and a second story concentrated toward the interior of the lot. The team described the proposed architecture as a contemporary take on the home’s mid-century character, with a low butterfly roof, white plaster lower walls, darker wood-look siding at the second story, and dark bronze aluminum windows.

Hughes and Nightingale confirmed the project’s stated dimensions: a 270-sf first-floor addition, a 632-sf second-floor addition, conversion of a 414-sf garage to a JADU, and a total proposed 2,660 sf (88% FAR) on a 7,342-sf lot. They said the overall ridge height is measured from finished floor and is just under 22 feet; first-floor plate height is 8 feet 6 inches and the second-floor plate height is 8 feet.

Neighborhood concerns

Nearby residents Elizabeth Brown and Trent Brown, of 731 Roberto Avenue, told the board they are directly below the project and that privacy, sound, and the integrity of the hillside are their primary concerns. "Our main concerns were, 1, privacy. We are the lowest house right there. We'll have a 2 story on 1 side, a 2 story on the other side," Trent Brown said. Elizabeth Brown added that the neighborhood’s topography amplifies sound and said she worried about additional construction on the slope and drainage around existing concrete.

Board discussion and key requests

Board members broadly praised the design direction while asking for refinements. Board member Richards said, "I don't think that the increase in height at the garage is gonna be too impactful," and expressed support for waiving story poles. Several board members asked the applicant to study the front-door awning, column proportions at the entry, and the arrangement of large west-facing windows so the board and neighbors can better understand massing and privacy impacts.

The board asked for an additional street-level view showing how the butterfly roof will read from neighboring properties and suggested providing a clearer street elevation that represents the local slope so neighbors can see the massing in context. The applicant said the addition projects about 5 feet beyond the existing rear wall at its maximum.

Formal action

Chair Lewis moved to continue the project to the full board with the board’s comments as recorded. The motion included waiving the FAR study and the story-pole requirement, supporting minor zoning exceptions that had been requested for the garage conversion and for retaining a taller street-side hedge for privacy, and asking for additional elevations and window/awning details. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously: Board member Richards — yes; Board member Moslihy — yes; Chair Lewis — yes.

Next steps

The project will return to the full Single Family Design Board with revised materials addressing the board’s requests: a clarified street elevation that reflects the slope, refined entry and column details, a study of the west-elevation window arrangement, and clearer depictions of how the second story will relate to neighboring yards. Staff also noted that the board will see ordinance updates and draft guidelines related to Single Family Design Board streamlining in early September, with a discussion scheduled for Sept. 22.

The board’s action does not approve the project; it establishes the record of the board’s guidance and the items the applicant must address at the next hearing.