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Menlo Park Planning Commission unanimously approves use permit for 365 Arden Road; neighbor raised privacy concerns
Summary
The Planning Commission approved a use permit to replace a single-story house with a two-story single-family home and attached ADU at 365 Arden Road, despite a neighboring resident's privacy concern about stairwell windows; commissioners cited setbacks and a new planting plan as mitigation.
The Menlo Park Planning Commission unanimously approved a use permit March 9 to demolish an existing single-story residence and build a two-story single-family home with an attached accessory dwelling unit at 365 Arden Road.
Vice Chair Ross Silverstein moved to approve the permit and Commissioner Schindler seconded; the motion passed unanimously (Baruzzi, Doe, Farrick, Schindler, Sillen and Silverstein voted yes).
The applicant, represented by Hannah Chu, presented site plans showing first- and second-story setbacks, removal of four trees (including one protected black acacia removed under a removal permit), a planting plan to add five new trees, and a proposed six-foot fence. Chu said the ADU is permitted and not subject to discretionary review. "We are planting 5 new trees ... and we've highlighted our fence that we are proposing that would wrap around the property," she said.
Neighbor Bob Ryder, who lives at 375 Arden Road, urged modifications to two second‑floor stairway windows that he said had "direct access into our backyard" and would intrude on privacy. "The real concern is privacy," Ryder said.
Several commissioners said they understood the neighbor's concerns but found the project's setbacks and proposed screening adequate. Commissioner Farrick complimented the planting plan and suggested frosting the lower portion of the stairwell windows as one mitigation option; the applicant declined, saying the stair landing benefits from natural light and the proposed 23-foot setback plus screening provides privacy. Commissioner Schindler noted the code requires the R1SFG district to follow the R1S development regulations (16.15.030) except as noted, and commissioners compared the proposal with prior staircase-window approvals when assessing consistency.
The staff report recommended the Commission find the project categorically exempt under CEQA Guidelines §15303 (Class 3) for new small structures. The Commission adopted the resolution to approve the use permit as presented.
The approved proposal includes the new two‑story house with an attached ADU, removal and replacement plantings per the submitted plan, and a six-foot fence; the record notes one removed protected tree with a permit and five replacement trees to be planted. The item concluded with unanimous approval and no further conditions beyond those in the staff recommendation.
