Commission approves conditional use for 916 sq ft guest house at 720 Mullen Road over neighbor objections

The Planning and Zoning Commission voted on Oct. 14, 2025, to approve a conditional use (CU2503) allowing a guest house at 720 Mullen Road NW after public hearings and testimony. The request sought to convert a portion of an existing accessory structure into a 916-square-foot guest house (casita) on a sub-acre A1-zoned lot. Director Shana Schulz told the commission that the department had received adverse comments that elevated the request from administrative review to a public hearing and that staff recommended approval with specified findings and conditions.

The applicant’s designer, Walter Gil of Modules Design, explained that the proposed guest house reuses the existing garage footprint, that covered porches and exterior features would be treated as permeable for certain calculations, and that the applicant intends the structure for family and guest use — not as a rental unit. The applicant also said the overall site plan on file includes future items such as a pool that would be separately permitted and reviewed under permeability standards.

Neighbors who live adjacent to the property objected at the hearing. Nancy McGoff Green, representing five surrounding households, said the proposed use would harm the area’s semi-rural character, could set an unwelcome precedent on small A1 lots, and would increase impermeable cover on already compact parcels. Neighbors requested stronger assurances and closer enforcement if the commission allowed the use.

Commission deliberations focused on whether the request was "injurious" to adjacent properties — the statutory standard for discretionary conditional uses — and on whether the village’s master plan and observed local patterns in the Guadalupe Trail character area support guest houses on sub-acre A1 lots. Some commissioners noted a pattern in the character area of smaller A1 lots historically containing casitas and guest structures; others emphasized neighbor concerns about size, impermeable cover and future conversion risks.

The motion to approve the conditional use was offered by Commissioner Barrow and seconded by Commissioner Baldwin. The roll-call vote was: Commissioner Barrow — yes; Commissioner Baldwin — yes; Commissioner Martinez — no; Commissioner Homeman — yes. Commissioner Edwards recused himself from the matter. The motion passed 3–1 with one recusal. Approval was subject to staff findings and three conditions: the guest house must be within the existing/attached garage envelope (no separate garage), there must be no direct internal access from the guest house into the garage, and the guest house shall not be rented unless the owner seeks and receives the necessary zoning approvals.

What happens next: The approval allows the applicant to pursue the subsequent permits required for construction and for any additional features (such as a pool). Staff and commissioners noted that compliance with permeability, FAR and setback standards will be checked through permitting; code enforcement remedies exist if the approved use changes without proper approvals.