Zoning administrator approves two hillside home additions in San Rafael

San Rafael — The zoning administrator approved two design-review permits Wednesday for proposed additions at 559 Fairhills Drive and 197 Hillside Avenue, finding both projects categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The decisions, announced after staff presentations, are subject to a five-day appeal period.

Renee, the planner, told the zoning administrator the project at 559 Fairhills Drive would convert an existing garage to living space and expand with a new garage. "This is a more than 500 square foot addition on a hillside property," she said, adding the lot is "a significantly downslope lot" with a reported average slope of 44.58 percent. The addition will bring the residence to about 2,892 square feet, according to staff materials, and staff reported two neighbor letters of support in the record.

The zoning administrator said the project "is categorically exempt" because the addition is less than a 50 percent increase in total floor area and that the proposal complies with the RA-1 base zoning district and the Hillside Residential Overlay District. "I approved the design review subject to the findings and conditions of approval," the zoning administrator said, and noted that an appeal must be filed within five days of the decision (the appeal period ends next Wednesday at 5 p.m.).

On the second item, Renee described 197 Hillside Avenue as a proposed two-story addition also exceeding 500 square feet on a hillside lot. She reported an average slope of 36.88 percent and said staff concluded the project meets R-1/H zoning standards and is categorically exempt from CEQA as an addition under the 50 percent threshold. The planner reported the existing residence as about 1,960 square feet in the record and that no additional conditions beyond standard findings were recommended.

After opening both items for public comment, the zoning administrator closed comment periods when no speakers came forward. The zoning administrator approved the design-review permit for 197 Hillside Avenue "subject to findings and conditions of approval," reiterated the five-day appeal window and stated the approvals will take effect on the sixth day if no appeal is filed. The hearing was adjourned at 10:11 a.m.

Both approvals were administrative decisions by the zoning administrator; the record notes neighbor support letters for 559 Fairhills Drive and standard conditions of approval for both projects. Appeal submission details were provided at the hearing.