Planning commission recommends special permit for 41 Carolina Drive driveway expansion

The Benicia Planning Commission on the evening of the meeting unanimously recommended that the City Council approve a special permit to expand the driveway at 41 Carolina Drive beyond the 20-foot limit in Benicia Municipal Code.

Public works staff told commissioners the applicant, Robert Parrish, is seeking a driveway wider than 20 feet but not greater than half the lot width on a parcel with 80 feet of street frontage. Derek Linsley, identified in the meeting materials as an associate civil engineer with Public Works, said the proposal would replace roughly 2 feet of curb with a depressed driveway curb and would not eliminate on-street parking on the dead-end street. "Our analysis revealed that there are minimal impacts to widening this driveway," Linsley said, adding staff found no ADA or environmental impacts and that the project is exempt from CEQA as a minor alteration.

The motion to forward a resolution recommending the special permit to council was made and seconded during the meeting; the commission approved the recommendation by roll call. Commissioners indicated the decision follows the process spelled out in BMC section 12.16.0.240(k), which requires a planning commission recommendation before City Council consideration of a residential driveway wider than 20 feet. The applicant told the commission the application was submitted in June 2024 but was delayed by staff turnover in Public Works and gaps between Planning Commission meetings.

Next steps: the commission's recommendation will be transmitted to the City Council, which must formally grant or deny the permit and complete required encroachment permitting and any remaining engineering approvals.