Height Variation Permit and
Site Plan Review Appeal
Case No. PLHV2025-0002
28337 Pontevedra Drive
City Council
July 21, 2026
Project Site
28337 Pontevedra Drive
Pontevedra Drive
Galerita Drive
Velez Drive
Project Site
Pontevedra Drive
Background
Chronology
• January 30, 2025 - Project application was formally submitted to the City Planning Division. • February 5, 2026 – the Director of Community Development conditionally approved the requested Height Variation Permit and Site Plan Review to construct an 812 ft2two-story addition consisting of an 800 ft2second-story addition and 12 ft2single-story entry addition at the front of the existing residence to an existing 2,106 ft2single-story residence for a new total structure size of 2,918 ft2(garage included)
• February 19, 2026 – Staff received a timely written appeal letter and appeal fee from the adjacent property owners at 1928 Galerita Drive.
Background
Chronology
• April 14, 2026 - The Planning Commission held a duly noticed public hearing regarding the appeal of the Director-approved Height Variation Permit and Site Plan Review application and after consideration of public testimony, the Planning Commission voted to continue the public hearing to the May 12th Planning Commission meeting to allow the Applicants additional time to consider addressing feedback provided at the public hearing. • May 12, 2026 – The Planning Commission, due to unforeseen technical difficulties at the meeting chamber in which Staff’s prepared materials were inaccessible, unanimously moved to continue the public hearing to the next regularly scheduled Planning Commission meeting of May 26, 2026, to be able to see Staff’s presentation and hearing materials for their consideration.
Background
Chronology
• May 26, 2026 – The Planning Commission held a public hearing regarding the continued public hearing item and the Planning Commission, on a 4 to 3 vote, adopted P.C Resolution No. 2026-08 denying the appeal and upholding the Director’s decision, thereby conditionally approving the requested Height Variation and Site Plan Review with additional conditions. A Notice of Decision of the Planning Commission’s decision was issued on May 27, 2026. • June 11, 2026 – A timely appeal of the Planning Commission’s decision was filed by the Appellants, requesting that the City Council overturn the Planning Commission’s conditional approval of the project, thereby denying the project, without prejudice. • July 2, 2026 – A public notice of this appeal public hearing was published in the Palos Verdes Peninsula News and mailed to all property owners within a 500-foot radius from the project site including the Appellants.
Site Plan
Construction of an 812 ft
2 two-
story addition, consisting of an
800 ft
2 second-story addition
and a 12 ft
2 first-story entryway
addition at the front to an
existing 2,106 ft
2 single-story
residence for a new total
structure size of 2,918 ft
2 (garage included).
Second Story Addition
First-Story Addition
Floor Plan
Proposed 1st Floor Plan Proposed 2nd Floor Plan
Elevations
West Elevation East Elevation
North Elevation South Elevation
Project Revisions
Height
Project Revisions
Roof Pitch Slope
Project Revisions
Attic Access
Project Revisions
Northerly Windows
Project Revisions
Attic Windows / Louvers
Project Revisions
Westerly Windows
Neighborhood
Compatibility
Project Scope
1. Lot Coverage
• Existing: 40%
• Proposed: No change
2. Structure Size
3. Architectural Style and Materials
4. Setbacks
• Existing: 2,106 ft2
• Proposed: 2,918 ft2
• Stucco Siding
• Shingle Roof (gable roof)
• Front (East) – 20 feet
• Side (South) – 7.17 feet
• Side (North) – 8.67 feet
• Rear (West) – 22 feet
28337 Pontevedra Drive 1808 Velez Drive
28311 Pontevedra Drive 28408 Pontevedra Drive
Neighborhood
Compatibility
28337 Pontevedra Drive 1808 Velez Drive
28311 Pontevedra Drive 28408 Pontevedra Drive
View Assessment
1 Potential Views
(Ocean and Harbor)
View Assessment
1 Potential Views
(Ocean and Harbor)
View Assessment
1 Potential Views
(Ocean and Harbor)
View Assessment
1 Potential Views
(Ocean and Harbor)
View Assessment
1 Potential Views
(Ocean and Harbor)
Privacy Assessment
Window Privacy
Considerations
Window Privacy
Considerations
Window Privacy
Considerations
Window Privacy
Considerations
Appeal
1. The project was not processed in accordance with the procedural requirements of the Rancho Palos Verdes
Municipal Code, as the Appellants contend that Staff relied on estimated rather than actual square footage in their
calculations of the first-floor footprint. The Appellants assert this error resulted in an incorrect finding that the project did not meet the threshold requiring automatic referral to the Planning Commission, thereby allowing the Director to
approve the project without the level of review mandated for developments of this scale.
RPVMC §17.02.040(C)(1)(a)
a. Any person proposing to construct a structure above 16 feet shall submit a height variation permit application to the city. A determination on the application shall be made by the director in accordance with the findings described in subsection (C)(1)(e) of this section. The director shall refer a height variation application directly to the planning commission for consideration under the same findings, as part of a public hearing, if any of the following is proposed:
i. Any portion of a structure which exceeds 16 feet in height extends closer than 25 feet from the front or street-side property line;
ii. The area of the structure which exceeds 16 feet in height (the second story footprint) exceeds 75 percent of the first story footprint area (residence and attached garage); iii. 60 percent or more of a garage footprint is covered by a structure which exceeds 16 feet in height (a second story);
iv. The portion of the structure which exceeds 16 feet in height is being developed as part of a new single-family residence; or
v. Based on an initial site visit, the director determines that any portion of a structure which is proposed to exceed 16 feet in height may significantly impair a view as defined in this chapter.
RPVMC §17.02.040(C)(1)(a)
Appeal
2. The project is not consistent with the City of Rancho Palos Verdes’ Neighborhood Compatibility standards as outlined in the Municipal Code and Neighborhood Compatibility framework. The Appellants argue that the project’s true massing is substantially larger than represented in the staff analysis due to the inclusion of a high ceiling “attic” space, resulting in a structure more comparable to a significantly larger addition than the approximately 800 ft2 evaluated by Staff. The Appellants further contend that Staff arbitrarily expanded Neighborhood Compatibility Analysis beyond the immediate neighborhood and included residences that were built prior to the adoption of Neighborhood Compatibility Analysis. Finally, the Appellants argue that a more accurate comparison of other properties demonstrates the project is out of scale with nearby homes, concentrates bulk toward the rear of the property, and creates a dominant massing condition adjacent to the Appellants’ property.
RPVMC §17.02.040(C)(1)(a)
RPVMC §17.02.040(C)(1)(a)
Neighborhood
Compatibility
28337 Pontevedra Drive 1808 Velez Drive
28311 Pontevedra Drive 28408 Pontevedra Drive
RPVMC §17.02.040(C)(1)(a)
RPVMC §17.02.040(C)(1)(a)
Appeal
3. The project creates substantial and unmitigated privacy impacts due to the placement and orientation of second-story windows that provide direct views into the Appellants’ private outdoor areas, including the backyard and pool. The Appellants contend that these view corridors effectively expose 100% of their private yard space and that the proposed design fails to incorporate adequate mitigation measures such as window repositioning or effective frosting. The Appellants further assert that Staff did not substantiate why such a level of visual intrusion is reasonable or consistent with neighborhood privacy expectations, and that the approval does not adequately address the City’s stated emphasis on protecting outdoor privacy under applicable guidelines.
Privacy Assessment
Privacy Assessment
~60ft
Privacy Assessment
~30ft
Privacy Assessment
~60ft
Privacy Assessment
Privacy Assessment
Privacy Assessment
Privacy Assessment
Privacy Assessment
Recomendation
Adopt Resolution No. 2026-__, A RESOLUTION OF THE
CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES
AFFIRMING THE DECISION OF THE PLANNING
COMMISSION AND DENYING THE APPEAL THEREBY
CONDITIONALLY APPROVING A HEIGHT VARIATION
PERMIT AND SITE PLAN REVIEW ALLOWING THE
CONSTRUCTION OF AN 812 FT2 TWO-STORY ADDITION
CONSISTING OF AN 800 FT2 SECOND-STORY ADDITION
AND 12 FT2 FIRST-STORY ENTRYWAY ADDITION TO THE
EXISTING 2,106 FT2 SINGLE-STORY RESIDENCE FOR A NEW
TOTAL STRUCTURE SIZE OF 2,918 FT2(GARAGE INCLUDED)
ON PROPERTY LOCATED AT 28337 PONTEVEDRA DRIVE
(CASE NO. PLHV2025-0002).
Appeal
Appeal
28337 Pontevedra Drive 1808 Velez Drive
28311 Pontevedra Drive 28408 Pontevedra Drive
Appeal
Silhouette
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