Paso Robles planning commissioners approve lot-line adjustment and permits for two historic houses at 204 18th and 1728 Locust

The Paso Robles Planning Commission on Jan. 13 approved a conditional use permit, a lot-line adjustment and a development plan modification to place two existing residences on separate parcels at 204 18th Street and 1728 Locust Street.

City staff told the commission the project would resolve a long-standing situation in which a two-story structure built over an existing garage straddled the legal lot line. “This is a conditional use permit and development plan modification to enable a lot line adjustment located at 204 18th Street and 1728 Locust Street,” staff said during the presentation. Staff said the adjustment would put each residence fully on its own lot, bring most setbacks into conformance and maintain the site’s existing density.

The commission’s approval — made by motion to adopt the draft resolution with a correction to an address typo — applies to Conditional Use Permit 2519, Lot Line Adjustment PRAL 250040 and Development Plan Modification 2506. Commissioner Connolly moved to approve; Commissioner Marlowe seconded. A roll call vote was unanimous: “Aye” from all seven members and the motion passed 7-0.

Why it mattered: staff explained the R-1 zoning district requires a 70-foot minimum lot width and 7,000-square-foot minimum lot size, while many historic lots on the west side are narrower and therefore legally nonconforming. The proposed Parcel 2 would remain nonconforming at about 37 feet wide; staff said the applicable code section addresses nonconforming structures and setbacks and allows a development plan modification where appropriate to approve a narrower lot width.

Key conditions of approval identified by staff include: recording certificates of compliance or a parcel map (condition 6) to finalize the lot-line change; providing separate utility laterals for each lot prior to recordation (condition 7); recording an encroachment agreement for private improvements that encroach into the public right-of-way (condition 8); and obtaining any required building permits to bring an existing wooden retaining wall within the right-of-way into code compliance (condition 12). Staff noted the city engineer recommended indemnification language in the encroachment agreement so private improvements could be removed if the city later needs the right-of-way.

Applicant Steve Gregory, who said he is managing the property on behalf of his family’s trust, described the practical need for the change and improvements. “My sister-in-law purchased the property and she is quadriplegic. We could not get her in and out of her vehicle without improving the driveway access,” Gregory said, adding that pavers had been installed that are removable if the city later requires removal.

During public comment a caller, Linda George, raised an ethics concern after noting a commissioner had met on-site with Gregory: “Did the commission review whether this is a conflict of interest that Roden met with Gregory?” Staff responded that commissioners may meet with applicants and make ex parte disclosures and that a conflict of interest would exist only if there were a financial or family interest in the property, which staff said is not present in this case.

Next steps: the approval is subject to the conditions of approval; the applicant must satisfy conditions (including utilities and recordation) before the lot-line adjustment is final. Staff and several commissioners encouraged the applicant to consider a separate street-vacation application later to resolve private improvements currently in the right-of-way.

The commission then approved a consent calendar and received staff updates on recruitment and upcoming agenda items before adjourning.