Monterey planners approve Dune Crest home, allow removal of Monterey cypress with conditions

The Monterey Planning Commission on a unanimous vote approved an architectural review permit and a tree removal permit for a two‑story single‑family home at 29 Dune Crest Avenue, allowing the removal of a Monterey cypress that staff and a consulting arborist said is structurally compromised.

Staff principal planner Fernanda Rivera recommended approval, telling the commission the 3,600‑square‑foot lot constrained the design and that the proposal meets local design guidelines and the city's height limit. Rivera said the applicant proposes a stepped two‑story form, glass railings and a mixture of cement plaster and Alaskan yellow cedar siding. She also described a replacement planting plan that includes a Santa Cruz Island ironwood in the rear yard.

Multiple commissioners asked technical questions about roof‑deck height, stormwater drainage and deep basement excavation in dune soils. Chair Silva and others pressed whether the drainage plan had backup power for a proposed sump pump; city staff confirmed engineering reviewed the stormwater control plan but that backup generators were not included in staff’s approval package.

Architect Hunter Eldridge, representing owners Bradford and Mary Jo Cooper, said the team conducted a full geotechnical investigation in May 2025 and that the geotechnical report would inform foundation design reviewed by building officials prior to permit issuance. Eldridge also said there is room in the basement to accommodate backup batteries for the sump pump and that solar panels could be sited to minimize visibility from the street.

Certified arborist Frank Ono told the commission the tree is presently healthy but has a significant lean and limited rooting area because of sandy soil and prior adjacent construction; he described the tree as “structurally compromised” and said its long‑term stability is questionable. Ono recommended removal on safety and feasibility grounds and noted that Monterey cypress in the region are often planted rather than wild and are subject to stress in some locales.

At least one nearby resident said previous nearby construction caused cracking and settling in her home and urged the commission to consider risks from deep excavations. Commissioners acknowledged the concern and noted the building permit and geotechnical review process are the appropriate venue to require construction methods and protections for neighbors.

Chair Silva moved to recommend approval of the permits per staff conditions and added two commission conditions: (1) an amended construction management plan to address staging, logistics and traffic control for basement excavation, and (2) a requirement that the applicant provide backup power for the drainage pump. The motion was seconded and carried by roll call; staff reminded the public the decision is appealable to city council within 10 days.

The commission’s action allows the project to proceed to building permit review, where geotechnical and foundation plans will be required and where the city’s building department will review construction safety measures and the final stockpiling plan for excavated sand. The planning decision also requires the replacement tree planting called for in the approval.

The decision is appealable to the Monterey City Council within 10 days.