Board upholds permit for Los Palmas vertical addition, citing code compliance

The Board of Appeals on Jan. 9 denied an appeal of a vertical addition permit at 521 Los Palmas Drive and upheld the permit that had been approved by the Planning Commission.

Neighbor Ok Chiu testified the project would alter neighborhood character, harm privacy and raise earthquake‑safety concerns; she said construction dust and noise would aggravate medical conditions and that the addition would set a precedent for further height increases. Homeowner Frank Chan, who said he and his wife have four children and have been through an extended permitting process since 2015, described the project as a modest, code‑compliant remodel adopted after planner review.

Planning staff told the board the property is in an RH‑1 district, the project underwent required neighborhood notice, and that the planning commission unanimously approved the permit. DBI confirmed the site permit process and said structural and geotechnical issues would be addressed in the addenda and later plan‑check steps.

After discussion the board voted to deny the appeal and uphold the permit on the basis that it was properly issued.