Corte Madera planning commission approves Marin Joe's 97‑sq‑ft expansion with parking and setback variances

The Corte Madera Planning Commission on April 28 approved a design review permit amendment, a setback variance and a parking variance to allow a 97‑square‑foot expansion of Marin Joe’s at 1585 Casa Buena Drive without adding seats.

Staff said the modest addition is intended to meet current life‑safety and egress requirements while preserving the restaurant’s existing seating capacity. "At its core, it's a code compliance project," the applicant’s representative said, describing the work as a narrow revision to an already approved entitlement.

The property’s triangular shape and a 50‑foot required rear setback reduce the buildable area to roughly 10% of the parcel, staff told commissioners. About 80 square feet of the new area would encroach into the rear setback, and staff concluded that variance findings could be met due to the site’s uniqueness. Claire of the planning staff said staff recommended approval and outlined the draft resolution and attached parking plan.

The parking variance addresses a code requirement that would otherwise call for 79 off‑street spaces. Staff and the applicant said the site will operate with…