From: David Parker <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, January 6, 2025 4:34 PM
To: Gannon, Jessica <[email protected]>; Gibbs, Thomas <[email protected]>; Thalman, Kristine <[email protected]>; Coveny, Mary Jo <[email protected]>; Weil, Louis <[email protected]> Cc: Steven, Heather CD <[email protected]>; Jung, Wendy CD <[email protected]>; Steve Kawaratani <[email protected]>; David Parker <[email protected]>; JOSEPH PRANER <[email protected]>; Mitchell Friedman <[email protected]>
Subject: 31731 Design Review 24-1151 Project Report
[NOTICE: This message originated outside of City of Laguna Beach -- DO NOT CLICK on links or open attachments unless you are sure the content is safe.] Good Evening Board members,
Please review the attached report we prepared to assist you in evaluating our project. We look forward to presenting it to you this Thursday.
Kindest regards,
David M. Parker
Architect AIA
1502 N. Coast Hwy
Laguna Beach, Ca. 92651
949 872-6616
Attachment 9
265
Praner Residence
31731 Seacove Drive
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
David M. Parker
Architect AIA
1502 N. Coast Hwy
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
949 872-6616
[email protected]
January 5, 2025
266
D A V I D M . P A R K E R , A R C H I T E C T A I A
1502 N. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Ph: (949) 872-6616 [email protected]
Date: January 5, 2025
City of Laguna Beach
Department of Planning and Zoning
505 Forest Ave.
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Attn: Design Review Board Members
Jessica Gannon, Chair
Tom Gibbs
Mary Jo Covney
Khristine Thalman
Louis Weil
Project:
Addition and Minor Remodel to an Existing Single Family Residence, and New ADU 31731 Seacove Drive, Laguna Beach, Calif. 92651
PROJECT NARRATIVE
Dear Board Members,
We are looking forward to our hearing on January 9. The following is a description of the project as a supplement to the staff report, and to assist you in evaluating the design.
Project Description:
The site is a double lot, wide and shallow, 120’ wide x 50’ deep. 10’ across the frontage is an easement dedicated to one-half the width of Seacove Drive, leaving 40’ of lot depth. The front setback is taken from the easement line. The property slopes/steps down to the west, toward the ocean. There is an existing 1,227 s.f. 1-story single family home at the top of the site, on the east side, with a 182 s.f. attached 1-car garage. The roof is flat, with a break near the middle, and a very gentle slope up toward the ocean. The existing ceilings below the flat portion of the roof are 8’ high. A 336 s.f. concrete terrace extends west from the great room. The west half of the lot steps downhill and contains wood decks, concrete decks, minimal landscaping, a cabana tucked under the concrete terrace, and a 520 s.f. swimming pool. The house has existing non-conforming setbacks: 4’-6” at the rear yard, 5’ at the east side yard, and 5’-2” at the front yard. The garage setback is 4’-10” at the front yard with no driveway. There is a solid wood and concrete fence, 6’+ in height, along two thirds of the frontage. At the side and rear boundaries are a combination of concrete walls and solid wood fences.
See Exhibit A: Site Photos, and Exhibit B: Setbacks.
The scope of work includes an addition and remodel to the existing 1-story single family home, conversion of the existing one car garage to living space, adding a new 2 bedroom ADU below the existing house (mid-level), adding a new two car garage tucked under the ADU (lower level), adding a deck for the main house above the ADU, and adding a new pool adjacent to the deck. The resulting house will be 3 levels, with the existing house at the upper level. A stairway and hallway link the garage to the main house. The existing terrace, cabana, pool, and wood decks are proposed to be demolished. New landscaping will be planted along the front, rear, and west side. See Exhibit C:
Existing and Proposed, and Exhibit D: 3D Model Renderings. 267
31731 Seacove Drive
The additions would consist of the following:
- New lower-level with a 469 square foot, two-car garage, 78 square feet of interior stairway, and new driveway;
- New mid-level with 180 square foot hallway, stairs, a future elevator area, a 928.4 square foot attached ADU with a 176 square foot entry patio, and a 258 square foot enclosed pool equipment space; and
- Upper-level additions including 482 square feet of new living area, 182 square-foot garage conversion to living area, 733 square-foot elevated deck, and a small pool. - Additions to the main house total 640.8 s.f. Total remodeled main house is 1973.3 s.f.
Design Criteria:
In consideration of the neighbors, the additions were designed to be built down, not up. The existing great room is extended out 13’-2”, and the roof continues the existing gentle slope, with the new high point 1’-5” above the existing high point. The levels of the project terrace down, following the topography, and the garage is tucked under the ADU and not visible from the street. See Exhibit D:
3D Model Renderings. The character of the existing house was maintained and refined to a midcentury modern style, the palette consisting of wood, glass, stucco, tile, and concrete. Soft cool colors were chosen for the exterior, and glass guardrails are proposed for the terrace to maintain a sense of openness. Landscaped areas are maximized and used to enhance the architecture, and to provide visual screening of the pool and the ADU. The lower portion of the driveway is “grass-crete” to add more greenery and permeable surface, and the adjacent retaining wall will be covered with vines. The existing solid 6’+ fence at the frontage will be replaced with a 4’ high open metal guardrail. Two large trees on either side of the existing house will be removed.
Benefits to Neighborhood:
The project, once approved, will provide several benefits to the neighborhood:
1. The removal of the large ficus tree on the north, the large podocarpus tree on the south, and the existing chimney, will improve views for neighbors and from the street. See Exhibit E:
Trees to be Removed.
2. The proposed 2 car garage at the lower portion of the property, with access driveway and an onsite turnaround, will improve traffic, safety, and parking on the street. Currently the existing 1 car garage has no driveway, and backing out creates a potential hazard. The proposed 2 car garage, driveway, and turnaround will eliminate this problem. See Exhibit A:
Site Photos, and Exhibit D: 3D Model Renderings.
3. Removal of tall fence along the street. There is an existing 6’+ unsightly solid wood fence along most of the street frontage, which obstructs views and openness. This will be removed and replaced with an open metal 4’ high guardrail, which will create more visual space along the street. See Exhibit A: Site Photos, and Exhibit D: 3D Model Renderings.
4. Landscaping along Seacove: The proposal includes landscaped areas at or near the street level where there currently are none, or where it is obscured by the solid fence. This will improve the streetscape along Seacove Drive. See Exhibit A: Site Photos, Exhibit D: 3D Model Renderings, and Exhibit F: Existing Landscape.
5. Reduced entertainment area. Currently, almost the entire lower yard is being used as an entertainment area, and consists of a concrete terrace at the main house level, wood and concrete decks at the lower level, and a large 520 s.f. swimming pool. This existing area totals 2798 s.f., and there is very little existing landscaping for relief. Our proposal is limited to a 733 s.f. deck, and a greatly reduced 149 s.f. pool, totaling 882 s.f., or 31.5% of the existing.
See Exhibit A: Site Photos, and Exhibit G: Yard and Pool Comparisons. 268
31731 Seacove Drive
Justifications for Variance:
The proposed additions within the 20-foot front yard setback and 10-foot rear yard setback, encroachments within the required additional building setback, and swimming pool within the 20-foot front yard setback require a variance. This section shall supplement the city staff’s findings for the variance as discussed in the staff report.
Finding 1: Special circumstances. As stated in the staff report, the wide and shallow configuration of the lot allows only a 10’ narrow strip between the front and rear setbacks, making it impossible to develop if the zoning codes were strictly applied. See Exhibit B, Setbacks.
Finding 2: Preservation and enjoyment of a substantial property right enjoyed by neighbors. All seven homes on Seacove Drive (including the subject property), and several homes on Seacliff Drive, have similar shallow lots, and have reduced setbacks similar to those requested by the applicant. See Exhibit I: Existing Reduced Setbacks in the Neighborhood. The red lines indicate the code required front and rear yard setbacks. See also Exhibit J: Photos of Seacove Homes.
Finding 3: Not detrimental. As stated in the staff report, the reduced setbacks will not interfere with the use of the private road easement. The proposed 2-car garage with its onsite turnaround improves traffic, parking, and safety, as discussed above. The reduced house setbacks do not create a worse condition because they are an extension of the reduced setbacks of the existing house. The existing pool encroaches into both the required front and rear setbacks, and therefore the proposed pool does not create a worse condition, and is much smaller (30% the size of the existing pool). See Exhibits C, D, and H. Lastly, there are other pools in the neighborhood: 31669 and, 31675 Seabluff, and 31703 and 31733 Seacliff.
Finding 4: Not contrary to the Zoning Ordinance or General Plan. As the staff report states: “The granting of such a variance would not be contrary to the objectives of the zoning ordinance or the general plan in that the proposed setbacks align with the existing setbacks of other properties on Seacove Drive in the vicinity and under identical zoning standards.” Conclusion:
The proposed addition and ADU is a modest development that is compatible and in harmony with the neighborhood, terraces down the slope, does not impact views. The project has many benefits to the neighborhood, including view improvement, more parking, improved vehicular safety, increased landscaping, a smaller pool and entertainment area, and a greatly enhanced streetscape. The project meets all the city’s design criteria, and the variances are easily justified. We hope you will approve the project, and we look forward to presenting to you.
Respectfully submitted,
David M. Parker
Architect
269
EXHIBIT A
SITE PHOTOS
CHIMNEY
TO BE REMOVED
TREE TO BE
REMOVED
EXISTING
GLASS
TREE TO BE REMOVED
SOLID FENCE FRONTAGE
270
10' RYSB
10'
19' SYSB
20' FYSB
5'-2" 4'-10"
5'-0"
4'-6"
10' WIDE AREA REMAINING
WITHOUT VARIANCE
EXHIBIT B
SETBACKS
271
PROPOSED ADDITION
EXISTING HOUSE
EXHIBIT C
EXISTING AND PROPOSED
272
EXHIBIT D
3D MODEL RENDERINGS
273
VIEW FROM 31673 SEACOVE
AERIAL VIEW
EXHIBIT E
TREES TO BE REMOVED
274
EXHIBIT F
EXISTING LANDSCAPE
275
PROPOSED DESIGN
EXHIBIT G
YARD AND POOL COMPARISON
EXISTING CONDITION
TOTAL EXISTING
ENTERTAINMENT AREA
= 2798 S.F. INCLUDING
520 S.F. POOL
PROPOSED 733 S.F. DECK
PLUS 149 S.F. POOL =
882 S.F. TOTAL
ENTERTAINMENT AREA
276
BELOW
EXISTING POOL 520 S.F. PROPOSED POOL 192 S.F.
20' F.Y.S.B.
EXHIBIT H
EXISTING AND PROPOSED
POOL COMPARISON
277
EXHIBIT I
EXISTING REDUCED SETBACKS
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
278
EXHIBIT J
PHOTOS OF SEACOVE HOMES
279
From: BURNES <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, January 6, 2025 12:36 PM
To: Jung, Wendy CD <[email protected]>; Steven, Heather CD <[email protected]>
Cc: Gannon, Jessica <[email protected]>; Gibbs, Thomas <[email protected]>; Coveny, Mary Jo <[email protected]>; Thalman, Kristine <[email protected]>; Weil, Louis <[email protected]>; Neev, Deborah <[email protected]>
Subject: 31731 Seacove Dr. - 1/9/2025 DRB Hearing - Item 5.7 - Jim Burnes' Letter of concern [NOTICE: This message originated outside of City of Laguna Beach -- DO NOT CLICK on links or open attachments unless you are sure the content is safe.] Ms. Jung and Ms.Steven:
Please see attached my letter of concern re the project at 31731 Seacove Dr. Please provide the DRB boardmembers with copies of it. I have emailed them directly but I am not certain if that is the correct procedure for circulating such letters.
I have also attached another copy of my Site Visit Agreement and request that the DRB members visit my residence to see my concerns. I can be contacted at my below cell number and email address below.
Thank you time and consideration.
Jim Burnes
[email protected]
(949) 212 - 6159
fax (949)851-1856
31672 Sea Bluff Lane
Laguna Beach, CA
92651
The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. If you are not the intended recipient of this message you are hereby notified that any use, review, retransmission, dissemination, distribution, reproduction or any action taken in reliance upon this message is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any computer.
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-----Original Message-----
From: steve kawaratani <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, January 4, 2025 7:43 AM
To: Jessica Gannon <[email protected]>; Thalman, Kristine <[email protected]>; Mary Jo & Steve Coveny <[email protected]>; Gibbs, Thomas <[email protected]>; Louis Weil <[email protected]>
Cc: Steven, Heather CD <[email protected]>; Latham, Daniel CD <[email protected]>; Jung, Wendy CD <[email protected]>; David M. Parker <[email protected]>
Subject: 5.7 31731 Seacove Drive & 5.8 2800 Chateau Way [NOTICE: This message originated outside of City of Laguna Beach -- DO NOT CLICK on links or open attachments unless you are sure the content is safe.]
Good morning Chair Gannon and Board members,
Happy New Year to you and yours!
I am representing two projects this coming week, Seacove and Chateau Way. The applicant teams are grateful that staff are recommending approval for both projects.
David Parker has previously invited you to meet at Seacove; please coordinate through me, as David’s and my schedules coincide. We are available "Tuesday late morning on, and any time on Wednesday or Thursday.” And I am also available for Chateau Way during those days and times.
Enjoy your first weekend of the New Year!
Steve
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