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Homeowners tell commission unsafe, non‑compliant stairs prompted request for new entry at 105 Wildemar Street
Summary
Homeowners said steep, non‑code internal stairs and repeated slips motivated a side‑entry and stair addition; they said interior solutions were impractical and noted neighborhood support, while commissioners sought design changes to minimize variances.
Elizabeth Hart and Jamie Wilson, the homeowners of 105 Wildemar Street, told the Planning Commission the principal reason for the application is safety. "The exterior stairs right now ... are unsafe. They're exposed to the elements. They're very slippery, and they're really difficult to navigate," Hart said as she described repeated slips, inadequate head clearance on internal stairs and the difficulty of daily use.
The homeowners said they spent more than a year exploring alternatives, including internal reconfiguration and alternate exterior stair locations, but concluded internal solutions would require gutting the house and were financially and practically infeasible; exterior alternatives were constrained by lot slope and bedrock. They also noted two letters of support: one from the closest uphill neighbors, Ken and Leslie Wachtell, and one from the prior owner. The applicants said the proposed design uses much of an existing dining‑room bump‑out to limit new encroachment and aims to meet California code riser and tread requirements for safer circulation.
Commissioners acknowledged the safety rationale but emphasized the commission's role in minimizing variances and asked the applicants to return with reduced encroachments and refined massing.
