Planning commission approves exception to attach garage at 890 Brent Drive

The Cupertino Planning Commission on May 27 unanimously approved an R1 exception (Application EXE2025002) permitting homeowners at 890 Brent Drive to attach an existing detached garage to the principal dwelling, creating a reduced side-yard setback. The commission voted to adopt the staff recommendation and found the project exempt from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review under the existing-facilities exemption.

Staff said the proposal would add 1,059 square feet to the house, made up of a 327-square-foot addition between the existing detached garage and the house, a 650-square-foot addition at the front of the principal dwelling and an 82-square-foot front porch. Jelani Mora, assistant planner, told the commission the lot is in the South Bellini neighborhood on a 6,089-square-foot parcel created in 1958 and annexed into Cupertino in 1979. Mora said the project retains front and rear setbacks and keeps most side setbacks; the only technical nonconformity is a portion of the detached garage that would remain on the property line.

Mora said the proposed lot coverage, excluding eaves, is 44.9 percent; including certain eave areas the coverage is 49 percent, which staff said is consistent with R1 standards when eaves are excluded. He described the resulting side-yard condition as 5 feet at the former garage wall and 9 feet 8 inches for the adjacent side to meet the 15-foot combined side-yard requirement with no side less than 5 feet. Mora noted a nearby, similar design-review approval at 874 Brent Drive in February 2010.

Applicants Meng Wu and Jin Chen spoke to the commission about family needs, saying they are a six-person household with a 2-year-old and a 6-month-old and that the addition would create a bedroom and bathroom for grandparents who help care for the children. A member of the public who lives in the neighborhood told the commission she supported the project and praised the single-story design and the applicants' decision to retain existing structure where possible.

Commissioners asked about noticing, which staff said was done to adjacent residences and by posting a site sign about two weeks before the hearing, and about previous R1 exception frequency; staff said the city has processed 14 R1 exceptions since 2005 and only one other of this exact nature (attaching a detached garage to the principal dwelling) was approved previously.

Chair Rao moved to adopt the staff recommendation; the motion received a second and passed unanimously. The planning commission closed the public hearing and thanked the applicants and staff for the presentation.

The commission record for the item identifies the application as EXE2025002 and finds the project exempt from CEQA under the existing-facilities exemption. No conditions that would change the approved setbacks or the footprint of the existing detached garage were referenced in public remarks at the meeting.