Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Design Review 156 Nova topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Planning commission approves rear addition at 156 Nova Drive with tree‑preservation condition
Summary
Commissioners unanimously approved a design‑review permit for 156 Nova Drive, finding the modest rear addition consistent with neighborhood scale and design guidelines; staff added an arborist report and certified tree‑preservation plan as a condition for building permit issuance.
The commission approved a design‑review permit for a remodel and modest rear addition at 156 Nova Drive that will add a full bathroom and a third functional bedroom to a long‑occupied family home.
Applicant Matthew Chrousdale told commissioners he and his wife have lived in the house for 27 years and want to make updates to stay in the residence; architect Carolyn Van Lang described a design that preserves the front façade and keeps massing and rooflines compatible with the neighborhood. Co‑applicant Audrey Sung provided neighborhood statistics showing the enlarged house would sit near the median of nearby homes in bedrooms and square footage.
Commissioners found the proposal consistent with the city’s design standards and the California Environmental Quality Act categorical exemption cited by staff. Before issuing building permits, staff read a required arborist condition into the record: the owner must submit an arborist report and a certified tree‑preservation plan, monitor critical construction activities, and provide mitigation and replacement if trees are compromised. The roll‑call vote to approve the project was unanimous among commissioners present.
