Board continues dispute over El Camino Del Mar addition; planning review to guide next steps

The Abatement Appeals Board on Nov. 17 continued a contentious, long-running appeal involving an unpermitted dormer and alleged encroachments at 135 El Camino Del Mar (Yee Trust), and directed DBI staff to provide progress reports while planning reviews revised permit submittals.

DBI and planning staff said applicants have submitted revised plans, design updates and a variance application intended to legalize certain encroachments. Planning staff read a memorandum into the record summarizing substantive progress: plans updated to document as-built and proposed conditions, an architect’s acceptable redesign of the front elevation, and a pending variance to address rear-yard encroachments. Counsel for the owners, Andrew Junius, described a chronology of recent plan submissions, neighborhood meetings and a variance filing; he said the next discretionary review could be scheduled in early 2011 depending on planning commission availability.

Neighbors who spoke at the meeting disputed the sufficiency of the submissions and urged quicker, more complete action; they alleged multiple encroachments and questioned whether planning had fully addressed property-line issues and safety inspections. A neighbor and other commenters asked the board not to extend enforcement without documented resolution of encroachment claims.

After discussion the board chose to continue the item for 90 days and to require DBI to deliver 30-day status reports during that period. Commissioners emphasized that much of the issue now resides with the planning department and that DBI’s authority is limited until planning issues and any appeals are resolved. No final abatement action was recorded at this hearing.