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Commission continues 45 Culebra Terrace demo/variance amid private‑street parking dispute
Summary
A proposal to demolish a small cottage at 45 Culebra Terrace and replace it with a four‑story, two‑unit building (one garage stall) prompted neighbors on the private street to object to loss of shared parking spaces; the commission continued the matter to July 18 and asked parties to negotiate parking arrangements and consider unit equity.
The Planning Commission continued consideration of a conditional use authorization and rear‑yard variance application for 45 Culebra Terrace on June 6 after neighbors raised strong objections to the project’s impact on a privately shared parking arrangement.
The sponsor proposes demolishing a roughly 1,600 sq. ft. single‑family cottage and building a four‑story two‑unit structure with one off‑street parking space and two bicycle stalls. Planning staff recommended approval, noting the property’s small lot depth and unusual condition as a private street that effectively shortens the buildable envelope; staff concluded the project meets general plan objectives and planning code criteria and described a rear‑yard variance request of about 26 inches to align with adjacent 40‑foot‑deep buildings while preserving a 15‑foot rear yard.
Several residents and owners on Culebra Terrace — a narrow, privately owned alley of 11 buildings that has historically distributed 13 marked parking stalls among neighbors — said the new garage would privatize one of the shared spaces and upset a decades‑old informal allocation. Neighbors urged a short continuance to negotiate an agreement (deeding or swapping space) that would avoid net loss of shared parking availability. Other nearby owners raised concerns about additional building depth and shading for abutting windows.
Commissioners asked staff and neighbors to pursue a negotiated solution on parking and to return with design adjustments addressing glazing, rear massing and unit balance. The commission voted to continue the item to July 18, with direction to explore an equitable resolution that preserves shared parking allocations if possible.
Next steps: The commission asked parties to meet and attempt to broker a parking arrangement acceptable to property owners on Culebra Terrace and asked the applicant to consider modest design adjustments for rear glazing and unit proportions; the matter is continued to July 18.
