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HomeMy WebLinkAbout3.1 Supplement L SUPPLEMENT AGENDA ITEM# 3, Jaime McAvoy Distributed: 5155( 15 From: Siren Abraham [siren@sabraham.com] Sent: Wednesday, March 04, 2015 8:17 PM To: Susan Mandle; Jitze Couperus; richard.partridge@comcast.net; Kavita Tankha Cc: Suzanne Avila; Nicole Horvitz; Jaime McAvoy; Deborah Padovan Subject: Planning Commission meeting Mar 5, agenda item 3.1 Attachments: sabraham_to_pc.pdf Please read and distribute my attached letter to the Planning Commision and make it available on the Town website and at the meeting . Thank you , Siren Abraham 12831 Viscaino Road To: Los Altos Hills Planning Commission From: Siren Abraham Subject: Planning Commission meeting March 5, 2015,Agenda item 3.1 Dear Planning Commissioners; I am writing this letter to express my support for Sue and Farro Kaveh's project plans. Our neighbors for about 10 years, Sue and Farro have been nothing but accommodating throughout the process of planning and developing their new home. They made a very significant out-reach to all neighbors asking each of us to join them in their old home to review their plans and have a neighborhood exchange of ideas. The last get together was well in advance of the site development hearing. One neighbor, Raj Reddy, was missing from the exchanges even though he was always invited. Interestingly enough, the formerly disengaged neighbor Raj has now become the biggest barrier to Sue and Faro's home development. Because of Raj's protests, the landscape plan that had been recommended for approval by the staff did not end up being approved. The personal preference of one demanding neighbor has prevented Sue and Farro from gaining landscape approval which ultimately could delay their move in date. Beyond affecting the Kavehs, by slowing the construction process, our dissatisfied neighbor has delayed the day that our neighborhood is restored to the construction free, peaceful and welcoming place it normally is. Despite the extreme stress that Raj has inflicted on the Kavehs', Sue and Farro have continued to negotiate with Raj, trying to appease him. It is my understanding that Sue and Farro have recently agreed to planting large trees on the Reddy property across the street as a desperate attempt to complete their development. The specified trees reach a height of 30 or more feet and a width of 30 or more feet, and six trees are required. These large trees that reach maturity in 15 or less years could create a solid wall 30+feet high and 180+ feet long having a substantial negative effect on my property and the beautiful view from the pathway along Viscaino Road. Now I'd like to call attention to the fact that this intrusive screening wall has been requested by a single neighbor to benefit his single residence at the expense of the neighborhood. My conversations with other neighbors have only been supportive and positive about the Kavehs' plans that do not call for any large plants to be added to screen around the Kavehs' property. The Kavehs addressed the concerns my family had with excessively large plantings along our common property line and I want to see their project move forward without any further delay. They have been subjected to the whims of one malcontent neighbor, and, in my opinion, are now reaching the point of being held hostage, unable to finish development and move into their beautiful new home. I urge the planning commission to consider the opinions of the other neighbors like myself, who are less vocal and forceful than Raj Reddy. Should the old idiom that the squeaky wheel gets the grease hold true even when all the appropriate procedures have been followed? What about majority rules? More importantly, if plans can be halted despite all the rules and regulations being met, what meaning do the policies have? My sincere hope is that the Kavehs' landscape plan will be approved at the March 5th meeting (it has already been unreasonably delayed) without any stipulations for obscene, 30+ foot high jungles for screening. With a careful look at the geometry of planting locations, I expect the committee will appreciate the detriment such a large plant wall will be to the surrounding neighbors and any individual who enjoys the Viscaino pathway. Respectfully, If i Siren Abraham 12831 Viscaino Rd SUPPLEMENT Jaime McAvoy AGENDA ITEM # , Distributed: 51 b! From: Nicole Horvitz Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2015 4:13 PM To: Jaime McAvoy Cc: Suzanne Avila Subject: FW: Ageement between Kaveh's and Reddy Attachments: Agreement between Kaveh's and Reddy (2).docx Please forward to the commissioners. Thanks! Nicole Horvitz Assistant Planner Town of Los Altos Hills 26379 Fremont Road Los Altos Hills,CA 94022 650-947-2504 www.losaltoshills.ca.gov Planning Department Counter Hours Monday-Friday 10 am-12 pm and 1 pm-3 pm From:Suzanne Avila Sent:Tuesday, March 03, 2015 4:11 PM To: Nicole Horvitz Subject: FW: Ageement between Kaveh's and Reddy From: reddvir@comcast.net [mailto:reddyjr@comcast.net] Sent:Tuesday, March 03, 2015 2:11 PM To: Suzanne Avila Cc: Farro Kaveh Subject:Ageement between Kaveh's and Reddy Hi Suzanne, Attached is the agreement reached by Kaveh's and Reddy. We will provide a brief presentation to the Planning Commission on March 5, 2015. If you have any further questions, please contact us. Sincerely, Raj Reddy 1 Agreement between Kavehs' and Reddy Kavehs and Mr. Reddy met on February 25, 2015 at the LAH town conference room to discuss Kavehs' revised landscape plan and evaluate appropriate screening for both our homes. Kavehs' landscape architect, Tina, attended the meeting for part of the time, and Ms. Suzanne Avila and Ms. Nichole Horvitz, of LAH planning department, joined us briefly towards the end of our meeting. Based on our very cordial and collaborative discussions the following specific items were agreed upon. Based on this agreement Mr. Reddy will forgo any further objections to the Kavehs landscaping and screening plan, to be reviewed by the City on March 5, 2015. Kavehs agree to Mr.Reddy's request to install 1 Olean Skylark Dwarf plant on each side of the entrance gate. Kavehs will plant six (6) 36" box trees of Olea Swan Hill on Mr. Reddy's property. The specific location and the layout for the plantings will be identified by Mr. Reddy and complete supervision during the installation of the plants will be provided by Mr. Reddy. Standard landscape quality 36" Olea Swan Hill trees will be installed; these plants will be acceptable to Mr. Reddy irrespective of the various heights of the plants. However, Kaveh's will do their best to procure 8 feet trees, if available. Kavehs are not liable for any mishaps on Mr. Reddy's side of the property for any work performed. The extent of Kavehs involvement is solely providing the plants and the labor. This is a onetime installation by the Kavehs, any future replacements and alterations will be the responsibility of Mr. Reddy. It is further understood that the location of the plants are not in an area that would impact any underground plumbing and/utilities, or in a highly difficult to excavate soil. Screening plants will be installed by Kavehs on Mr. Reddy's property when they are doing their landscape project, and they will do their best to give priority towards early plantings on Mr. Reddy's property. Mr. Reddy's landscape architect will provide markings and layout for the installation of screening plants. This will be accomplished by March 20, 2015. During the process of the layout, it may be determined that a 24" box tree may be appropriate in some location. Kavehs will be notified immediately, prior to their procurement of screening plants. The Kavehs are not held responsible if the selected box plants fail to achieve the screening desired by Mr Reddy, either by not achieving the height or bulk expected. Mr. Reddy will provide at his expense all required irrigation and maintenance including watering, fertilizing, trimming (height of trees not to exceed 20ft), pruning and all aspects of plant care. SUPPLEMENT AGENDA ITEM Jaime McAvoy # — Distributed: �j 5/ 1 'J From: Scott Howarth [showarth@issi.com] on behalf of Scott Howarth [showarth@sbcglobal.net] Sent: Thursday, March 05, 2015 12:07 PM To: Susan Mandle; Jitze Couperus; richard.partridge@comcast.net; Kavita Tankha; Suzanne Avila; Deborah Padovan; Jaime McAvoy; Nicole Horvitz Cc: Siren Abraham; farro.kaveh@gmail.com; sue.kaveh@yahoo.com Subject: Planning Commission meeting Mar 5, agenda item 3.1 Attachments: LAH Letter 3-5-2015.docx Please read and distribute our attached letter to the Planning Commission and make it available on the Town website and at the meeting. We hope to attend in person as well. Thank you, Scott Howarth&Gina Baffico 12819 Viscaino Road 1 March 5, 2015 To: Los Altos Hills Planning Commission From: Scott Howarth&Gina Baffico, 12819 Viscaino Road Subject: Planning Commission Meeting March 5, 2015,Agenda Item 3.1 Dear Planning Commission We are writing to express our support for Sue and Farro's Kaveh's project plans. We wrote to you last month expressing our support so that they can move forward with their project and move into their new home. We are still in support of their plans and they have been very open and accommodating to our ideas. While we don't agree with everything they have done or are doing,we respect their wishes to improve the property and move into their new home, and are very appreciative of the accommodations they have made for all neighbors. While not everyone seems to agree with their plans,we hope that the committee looks out for the interests of ALL neighbors, and not just one. Bottom line,the improvements from the prior property are so vast and extensive that all of the neighbors should be happy to see the improvement in our neighborhood. We certainly do! However,we are very concerned about the last minute changes to add 6 large trees to the North side of Viscaino Road to appease one neighbor. When we purchased our 12819 Viscaino Road property in 1998, one of the explicit draws for this property was the wide-open and unimpeded view of downtown Oakland and San Francisco from our driveway. Gina was born and raised in San Francisco, and everyday looks at the building in downtown San Francisco where her late father used to work. This is a deeply emotion draw to our property for her, and also for me. The proposed addition of these 6 large trees would take that view away and remove our right to keeping our open views as outlined in Chapter 8 of the town code "VIEW AND SUNLIGHT OBSTRUCTION FROM TREES". And, I am sure the two other homeowners that share this same driveway, plus all the walkers and drivers on Viscaino Road who also enjoy the unobstructed view of San Francisco and Oakland feel the same as us. We request that you reverse this last minute change, and look to protect the rights of all homeowners to preserve our views. I appreciate someone may not like the Kaveh's new home and view, but it doesn't make sense to me that other homeowners must pay for this and loose our views just to make one homeowner happy. The majority of homeowner's interests need to be taken into account, not just the one. Please support Sue and Farro's plans, let them complete their beautiful home, and planned landscaping and move into their home as soon as possible. Thanks and regards, Scott Howarth & Gina Baffico 12819 Viscaino Road