Millbrae planning commission approves renovation, parking exception for 407 Cypress Avenue

The Millbrae Planning Commission on Feb. 3 approved a design review permit and an exception to the city's two-space parking requirement to allow a major renovation and second-story addition at 407 Cypress Avenue.

The approved project adds a 997-square-foot second story and a 224-square-foot first-story addition to an existing single-story home, increasing the residence from about 1,234 square feet to a total proposed 2,455 square feet. The commission voted 4-0 to approve the design review permit and the parking exception; the decision is subject to a 10-day appeal period and payment of the required appeal fee.

Staff said the proposal meets applicable development standards in the R-1 (single-family residential) zone and recommended approval after analyzing neighborhood impacts and the parking exception request. "I'm Nesta Gebar, senior planner, and I'll be making the presentation for the 407 Cypress Avenue project," staff told the commission. The staff report notes the project meets setbacks, height limits and landscaping requirements and includes a solar-access analysis to address shading concerns.

Under the proposal the existing attached one-car garage would remain; Millbrae Municipal Code requires two on-site garage spaces for single-family homes but allows exceptions where a one-car garage predates that requirement or side-by-side parking is not feasible. Staff reported the site was built with a one-car garage before the two-space rule and found that many nearby lots also have one-car garages. In a neighborhood parking survey of homes within 200 feet, staff found 16 of 28 houses have one-car garages and 12 have two-car garages. The subject lot is 60 feet wide (the typical R-1 lot width is 50 feet), and plans show room on the driveway for additional surface parking while keeping required setbacks.

Neighbors returned seven adjacent-owner consultation forms: three in support, two opposed and two not returned. Opposition cited privacy and shading from a previously proposed second-story deck. Staff and the applicant told commissioners that the second-story deck was removed from the proposal. Jeremy and Crystal, who identified themselves as the new homeowners at 319 Santa Lucia (the rear neighbor), said they had met with staff and are not opposed to the project but asked that care continue to be taken "to minimize our loss of natural light in our backyard." Jeremy said, "we are not in opposition of it. I think it will be a great addition to the neighborhood, and the actual designs do look really nice." The applicant removed the second-story deck and added landscaping as privacy mitigation.

The applicant and project team described the proposed materials and design. "We put a lot of time into this, so, I hope the drawings speak for themselves," said Mark Bugarelli, the project architect. Homeowner and landscape designer Venus told the commission the two proposed rear trees are expected to mature to about 20 feet in height while the proposed house ridge reaches about 29 feet 9 inches, and that the trees were selected to provide screening without blocking sunlight. "So considering the angle of the solar's, daily, it does not block the shadow," Venus said, and added that the species can be changed if the neighbor requests an alternative to preserve light.

Commissioners expressed support for the design and the parking exception. Commissioner Choi said, "I like the material palette. I think it's very appropriate for the neighborhood," and thanked staff for the parking analysis. Other commissioners echoed that the design meets setbacks and that the one-car garage exception is reasonable given nearby conditions and the property's preexisting garage.

The motion to approve the design review permit and exception was moved and seconded and carried unanimously. The commission's approval is final unless an appeal is filed within 10 days; the staff notice includes contact information for the City Clerk and instructions for filing an appeal.