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Homeowner seeks to subdivide Murray Hill lot; neighbors press for design details and caution about precedent
Summary
Chris Martin asked to split his Murray Hill property into two single-family lots under a tier-1 conditional rezoning; neighbors pressed for architectural details and warned about precedent, while staff said the petition includes limits on height and house size and is consistent with policy variables.
Chris Martin presented a request to rezone a Murray Hill parcel (petition cited during the Oct. 20 zoning meeting) to allow subdivision into two single-family lots under a Neighborhood 1 conditional (tier 1) plan. Martin told the council he had held two community meetings and adjusted the application to restrict home size and height so new houses "cannot be larger than the largest home in the neighborhood." He said the change was intended to keep compatibility with surrounding lots.
Several neighbors opposed the request or asked for more specificity. Catherine Howard said the petition’s financial rationale and the possibility of resale to third parties raised concerns about precedent and potential loss of neighborhood character; Jeremy Howard asked for site plans and aesthetics. Planning staff explained tier-1 conditional petitions can include site-specific notes (for example, limiting height and square footage) but do not include full site plans, and suggested additional architectural standards could be negotiated and added to the conditional notes.
Council discussion emphasized that petitioners bear the burden of proof when seeking increased intensity or a different subdivision pattern. Petitioners said they would continue to work with neighbors on design notes. The public hearing was closed; with no immediate vote recorded, the matter will return for a future decision after further review and community engagement.
