Planning Commission approves remodel and addition at 748 Maple Avenue, conditions retention of street tree

The Carpinteria City Planning Commission voted 5-0 on Nov. 3 to approve a conditional use permit for a remodel and addition to the Burgess residence at 748 Maple Avenue, accepting a California Environmental Quality Act categorical exemption and adding a condition to retain a city street jacaranda tree if feasible.

Planning staff described the project as 1,836 square feet of additions to an existing 997-square-foot single-family residence, resulting in a total floor area of 2,833 square feet. The work includes 258 square feet of first-floor living area, a new 400-square-foot first-floor garage, and a second story of 1,178 square feet. The maximum height is 21 feet, 10 inches above average finished grade, staff said. The project also calls for converting a 287-square-foot detached garage bay to storage and new landscaping within the public right-of-way, which public works said could be required to be removed for future city activities.

Staff told the commission that the property contains a front house and a rear unit built in 1947 and that portions of the front house are legal nonconforming to current setbacks. Because the project would alter a legal nonconforming structure, a conditional use permit was required. Staff recommended approval after finding the project would not increase the habitable capacity beyond the existing condition and would preserve neighborhood character consistent with Land Use Objective LU‑3 and the community design element.

Commissioners pressed staff and the applicant about several topics during deliberations. They asked about the condition and code history of the rear unit; staff and code compliance clarified that the rear unit was inspected and deemed habitable, although some soft‑story retrofit work was recommended by the building inspector. Commissioners also asked about parking: staff explained the on‑site easement provides access to four parking spaces spread between the front and rear units, and that the existing parking configuration meets the zoning requirements.

A central point of debate was a jacaranda street tree that sits in the line of the proposed driveway. Planning staff noted the tree is in the city right-of-way and that decisions about removal of city street trees involve the Tree Advisory Board and ultimately the City Council. Architect Dylan Chapelle said the design team had hoped to retain the tree but raised practical conflicts between the required sidewalk, driveway alignment and the tree’s location, adding, “We would like to keep the tree, but we just can't see any good solution to keeping the tree without having, problematic with the sidewalk and the driveway.” Neighbor Shane Ochadziner, who said he lives at 5110 Seventh Street, urged a continuance so his attorney could review an easement agreement and recounted decades of nuisance and code concerns at the property.

After discussion, the commission adopted the staff resolution approving Project 252328 (PC‑25‑010) and the CEQA categorical exemption with an additional condition. The added condition directs staff to revise the project conditions to require that driveway access remain at its current entry location on Maple Avenue and that the driveway may be slightly widened only if that can be done without adversely affecting the existing jacaranda street tree. The motion passed on a roll call vote: Commissioner Van Antwerp — yes; Commissioner Moyer — yes; Commissioner Benefield — yes (said "reluctantly"); Commissioner LaFeavers — yes; Chair Tara Allen — yes.

The commission did not require immediate repairs to the rear unit as part of this approval, and staff advised that the city may address that structure if the owner later applies for permits or if code enforcement determines further action is necessary. During the director’s report, staff noted other active and pending projects in the city, including larger housing proposals and Chevron decommissioning activities along the coast.

The commission closed the hearing and approved the project with the driveway/tree condition. Staff will update the written conditions of approval to reflect the commission’s direction and proceed with standard processing steps.