The Ross Town Council voted unanimously Dec. 12 to adopt Resolution 2441, approving a design review and hillside-lot permit for a residential project at 40 Upper Road.

Planning staff told the council the town
dvisory Design Review (ADR) board recommended the project following revisions that merged an adjacent lot and reduced retaining-wall heights. That change removed the applicant
nd the townrom needing a variance, the planner said.

The planner, identified in the record as Roberta, summarized the application: the requests before the council were design-review approval, a hillside-lot permit to allow site work, and adoption of conditions attached to Resolution 2441. Roberta said the ADR earlier recommended the project by a 4-0-1 vote after the applicant revised the plans at prior ADR hearings in May and August.

The applicant, identified as Shaochian, was present and told the council they were available to answer questions: "I'm here just to answer the questions," the applicant said. Council members asked clarifying questions about the plan revisions and site treatment; no members of the public raised comments during the hearing.

A councilmember moved to adopt Resolution 2441; after a second, the council voted in favor with five affirmative votes. The motion passed and the council instructed staff to finalize the resolution and conditions of approval.

The council listed the matter under planning item number 9 on the agenda; the hearing and vote concluded with the council directing staff to file the adopted resolution and proceed with permit processing.