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Planning Commission approves revised 2417 Green Street project after lengthy DR dispute, adds site‑specific mitigation
Summary
After years of appeals and neighborhood opposition, commissioners unanimously took discretionary review and approved revised plans for a scaled‑down addition at 2417 Green St with site‑specific mitigation to protect an adjacent historic house.
The Planning Commission unanimously voted July 16 to take discretionary review and approve revised plans for a residential addition at 2417 Green Street, concluding a multi‑year dispute between the project sponsor and neighboring owners over excavation and potential impacts to an adjacent historic resource.
The dispute had centered on excavation depth, garage expansion and an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) that neighbors argued could undermine the foundation of the adjacent Coxhead House, an 1893 architectural landmark. DR requesters and experts cited the commission’s earlier mitigated negative declaration, arguing the project still posed significant risk and warranted an Environmental Impact Report. Richard Drury and other neighbors warned of structural risk and cited past city findings that raised similar concerns.
Planning staff, after mediated meetings between parties, presented revised plans that reduced the rear additions by approximately 718 square feet, cut excavation by roughly half (from around 400 to 200 cubic yards) and relocated proposed garage foundation work 8 feet away from the downhill property line into solid bedrock, according to project sponsor engineer statements and sponsor exhibits. Staff concluded the revisions maintain light, air and privacy and recommended taking discretionary review and approving the revised project while reaffirming the earlier MND and site‑specific mitigation measures.
Commissioners debated the history and risk but said the sponsor’s recent modifications addressed the most serious safety and integrity concerns. Commissioner Johnson moved to take discretionary review and approve the revised project with conditions; the motion passed unanimously. Staff will prepare a DR action memo that reaffirms the MND and attaches the required mitigation and monitoring measures to the building permit route.
Project sponsor Chris Surkin told the commission the redesign eliminated property‑line excavation and substantially reduced the scope of additions. Neighbors and preservation advocates said they remain wary; the commission’s decision requires the sponsor to comply with mitigation measures and monitoring intended to reduce risk to adjacent historic foundations.
