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Design Review Board requires Dunning Drive homeowner to restore two‑car garage backup clearance before final permit
Summary
After extended debate over unpermitted additions and nonconforming driveway access, the board approved the remodel at 1275 Dunning Drive with a condition that the vestibule/powder room be removed (or otherwise reconfigured) to provide a 25‑foot backup clearance for a two‑car garage, to be verified by staff.
The Laguna Beach Design Review Board approved a revised plan for 1275 Dunning Drive on July 24, 2025, but attached a condition aimed at correcting an existing nonconforming driveway access. The board’s vote authorized staff to verify that the applicant either removes a newly added powder room and part of a vestibule or otherwise reconfigures the lower‑level footprint so the two‑car garage has a 25‑foot backup clearance.
Why it matters: The parcel contains multiple unpermitted additions from earlier work. The board and staff stressed that fixes to interior construction practices (building code compliance) will happen through building‑permit plan review, but the driveway condition is meant to prevent future incremental ‘project creep’ that leaves a property permanently in nonconformance and reduces safe vehicle movement.
What the board decided: By unanimous vote the board adopted a motion to approve the design review and coastal permit while making final approval contingent on demonstration of a 25‑foot backup area for the two‑car garage. The motion required removal or reconfiguration of a powder room and a portion of the vestibule if necessary to achieve the backup clearance; staff will verify the change when final plans are submitted.
Neighbors’ concerns and board reaction: Neighbors and several board members pressed for stronger fixes, including removal of some newly constructed interior elements; board members said structural and code corrections for interior elements will be enforced by the building department during plan check. Several board members said they would not approve the project without the driveway fix because the current entry is unsafe and nonconforming.
Implementation and next steps: Staff will verify on final plans that the 25‑foot backup clearance is provided and that the vestibule/powder room work is either removed or otherwise revised. The board’s condition was explicitly framed to apply even if the owner later modifies other parts of the house: any future addition that increases square footage would trigger compliance with the backup clearing requirement.
Ending: The condition is now a recorded part of the board’s approval and must be satisfied at the building‑permit stage; the board indicated it will expect staff to enforce the condition during final plan review.
