Planning commission approves detached garage, ADU and disturbance variance at 3 Outrider Road

The Rolling Hills Estates Planning Commission approved zoning case 24-149 for the property at 3 Outrider Road on Aug. 19, 2025, adopting Resolution 25-07 to allow a detached garage/workshop and related site modifications, including a variance for disturbance exceeding the 40 percent threshold.

Staff explained the parcel is in the RAS-1 zone and is under one acre; staff reported the existing site is already disturbed over about 53 percent and the application requests additional disturbance so the property owner can build an approximately 825-square-foot detached garage containing a workshop and potting area. Staff also identified an accessory-structure conditional use permit is required because the detached structure exceeds 200 square feet; an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) has been processed and is shown on the plans per state law.

The commission heard that the existing house is about 3,900 square feet with a roughly 513-square-foot attached garage, a pool and spa, and a small barbecue area approved in 2021. The engineered grading plan shows grading balanced on-site with about 423 cubic yards cut and 423 cubic yards of fill (846 cubic yards total). Staff noted total lot coverage including structures and flat work is about 24 percent (below the 35 percent maximum allowed), while the disturbed-area variance is the principal discretionary request.

The Rolling Hills Country Association (RHCA) had flagged concerns about stable access and use of an easement; staff reported those concerns have been addressed and the applicant revised access so stable-related access would avoid the RHCA easement. The project was determined categorically exempt from CEQA under Section 15303 for new construction of accessory structures and single-family residences, as noted in the staff report.

Dan Bolton of Bolton Engineering, speaking for the applicant, told commissioners he was available for questions and said, "I think the project speaks more or less for itself." After discussion, Commissioner Cardenas, Commissioner Hsu, Commissioner Douglas, Vice Chair Kirkpatrick and Chair Chelf voted to approve Resolution 25-07 as presented; the motion passed on a roll-call vote with all members voting yes.

The approved resolution authorizes the conditional use permit for the detached accessory structure, grants the requested variance for disturbance over the 40 percent threshold as applied to the submitted site plan, and includes the site-plan review conditions listed in staff’s draft resolution. The commission’s approval included the applicant’s revised access plan that avoids encroachment on the RHCA easement.