The Seaside Traffic Advisory Committee recommended on May 21 that the City Council consider approving a second driveway approach at 1486 Santa Clara Avenue, conditioned on modification of a fence that currently intrudes into the traffic-safety visibility triangle.

Patrick Grogan, associate engineer with the public works department, explained that the property—about 90 feet of street frontage—does not meet the ordinary code threshold (200 feet frontage or other exceptions) for two separate driveways on a single-family parcel. Grogan said the existing fence on the west side of the property protrudes approximately 1.75 feet into the visibility triangle and exceeds the code's height limit by about 5 inches.

Grogan summarized relevant City of Seaside municipal code sections on driveway limits and traffic-safety visibility areas, noting the code treats a driveway-street intersection as an intersection for visibility-triangle requirements. He also said approving the application as presented would remove one parallel on-street parking space.

An applicant who spoke at the dais described plans to reorient the home's entry, build a two-car garage to the right side of the house and add an ADU; the applicant said a neighboring property with similar frontage currently has two driveways. The applicant said off-street parking would help tenants and the household.

Committee members debated safety risks from increasing the number of curb cuts versus the community benefit of adding off-street parking for an ADU. One committee member moved that the TAC recommend City Council approve the second driveway on the condition the fence be modified so that visibility-triangle requirements are complied with; another member seconded the motion and the committee voted to forward the recommendation to council. Staff said they would add the item to the City Council agenda and notify the applicant of the council date.