Planning commission recommends approval for Astor Trail home after drainage, parking conditions discussed

The Calabasas Planning Commission on Feb. 5 recommended approval of a site‑plan review for a proposed two‑story single‑family home with an attached accessory dwelling unit at 23656 Astor Trail, directing staff to prepare a resolution with the conditions discussed at the hearing.

Staff presented plans showing a 1,588 square‑foot main residence, a 413 square‑foot garage and an 800 square‑foot ADU and described multiple revisions to address neighbor concerns, including a rerouted 10‑inch drainage pipe, a new retaining wall along the driveway and a larger rain garden. Joel (staff) told commissioners that public works had reviewed an updated hydrology report and concluded the project would not ‘‘adversely affect downstream properties.’’

Neighbors had urged tighter protections and construction staging rules. ‘‘The street. It’s too narrow. It’s dangerous,’’ said Marley Temple, a nearby resident, urging consideration of a one‑way conversion and noting concerns about where construction vehicles and concrete trucks would stage. Rich Paralou, who lives across the street, asked that the existing drain be moved ‘‘in a very professional manner’’ and stressed that post‑construction the drain must remain functional.

Public works and staff responded with specifics. Tristan Leger, a senior civil engineer with public works, said the Los Angeles County standard for projects like this is a 25‑year, 24‑hour storm and that the project’s use of a 50‑year metric is conservative by comparison. Staff reported the modeled 50‑year, 24‑hour runoff to the on‑site catch basin would be about 3.37 cubic feet per second, while the basin’s total capacity is 9.65 cfs—leaving roughly 6.3 cfs of excess capacity. The hydrology materials also estimated the project would increase downstream runoff by about 5% for that event, a level staff said would not create adverse impacts given the proposed LID measures and rerouting.

Commissioners and staff emphasized construction controls. The commission noted a required traffic management plan (condition 14) that must be reviewed and approved by the city engineer and public works before permits are issued; that plan must show construction employee parking, vehicle staging and measures to avoid blocking the roadway. Public works said it can also install permanent no‑parking signs in the Highlands within a few months if the commission and fire department approve needed steps.

The applicant, Esi Dadfar, who said the project has been under review for more than three years, told the commission the finished site will be ‘‘100% better than it is right now’’ for drainage and that the team would comply with required conditions and the traffic management plan. Commissioners pressed staff on inspection and maintenance commitments; staff said city inspectors review public drains roughly monthly and that final permits would require compliance with the updated grading and drainage plans.

A commissioner asked whether the city would face liability if designs relied on the 24‑hour standard; legal counsel advised that potential exposure could require closed‑session consideration but that reliance on technical staff expertise and public works review provides a reasonable basis for the city’s decision.

After discussion and conditions addressing drainage, construction staging and parking management, a commissioner moved to recommend approval (motion recorded on the public record). The motion was seconded and the commission voted unanimously to direct staff to prepare a resolution for approval with the conditions discussed.

The record includes differing references to the project file: the public hearing materials list file number SPR2020OO7, while the motion on the record later referenced the number as SPR2023–O07. Staff will prepare the resolution with the conditions noted in the hearing and circulate it to the applicant and interested neighbors.

The director’s report following the hearing included scheduling notes for March 5 and an update that the city had joined a Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program; commissioners then discussed ARP membership and adjourned.