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ADR supports 3 Willow Hill redesign with conditions: push back trellis, slim the spiral stair, revisit parking pad
Summary
Design-review discussion at 3 Willow Hill Road centered on a gabled trellis, an enclosed mesh spiral staircase, terraces and a parking pad; the ADR endorsed the project with conditions to move the trellis back, reduce the staircase's perceived mass and to explore a larger parking pad for safer vehicle maneuvering.
The ADR Committee reviewed an extensive redesign at 3 Willow Hill Road that includes a reduced two-level rear deck, a pitched trellis over a roof deck, new terraced landscaping and a spiral mesh staircase. After lengthy deliberation the committee agreed to recommend approval with several required refinements to reduce visible mass and improve safety.
The project designer described the goals for the terraces and restoring the hillside: "We're proposing a series of these circular, terraces...they mimic the hillside and are also areas of which you could occupy and have access to the rest of the site," the designer said. Committee members raised repeated concerns about the spiral staircase and its mesh enclosure, arguing that, from below, the material could appear more massive than intended. One member warned that "when you look at mesh at an angle, you start to collapse that mesh into a solid form just by the nature of its weave," and urged the applicant to explore a less bulky treatment.
Members also pushed for practical changes to the parking pad geometry so vehicles could pull in and out more safely; several members suggested increasing the pad width and, if allowable, adding a second space. Fire-department review had already occurred; staff reported the fire department had seen the plans and did not object to the proposed tree removals but had other comments the applicant had addressed.
By the end of the discussion the ADR coalesced around specific conditions: (1) step the gabled trellis back toward the roof spring line (or reduce its span) so it is less visually prominent from the street below; (2) revise the spiral staircase detailing to reduce perceived bulk (for example, have railing follow the stair rather than a fully enclosed mesh volume); and (3) revisit the parking pad geometry to maximize usable turning area, and consider two spaces if feasible. Staff agreed these are small enough changes to work through with the applicant and return administratively to staff or bring back to ADR if needed. The committee asked staff to include the recommended modifications in the packet to council.
