HomeMy WebLinkAboutPC 01-21RESOLUTION PC 01-21
RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE TOWN OF LOS ALTOS
HILLS APPROVING A SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT TO ALLOW FOR THE
CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW TWO-STORY HOUSE AT 27321 ALTAMONT ROAD
WHEREAS, The Town of Los Altos Hills received an application for a Site Development
Permit (SD20-0056) from Francis Pham to allow for the construction of new 5,421 square -foot
two-stoiy house with a basement, a detached garage and new pool at 27321 Altamont Road
("Project"); and
WHEREAS, the Project is exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15303(a) since the project includes the construction of a
new single-family residence where public services are available in a residential zone; and
WHEREAS, the Project application was processed in accordance with the applicable
provisions of the California Government Code and the Los Altos Hills Municipal Code; -and
WHEREAS, the Planning Commission held duly noticed public hearings on the Project
on January 14, 2021 and February 4, 2021, and considered all written documentation and public
comments; and
NOW, THEREFORE, the Planning Commission of the Town of Los Altos Hills hereby
APPROVES the Site Development Permit (SD20-0056) subject to the findings and conditions
contained in Exhibits "A" and "B" and incorporated herein by reference.
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a special meeting of the Planning Commission of the Town of Los
Altos Hills on this 4th day of February, 2021, by the following vote:
AYES: Patel, Couperus, Waschura
NAYS: Indaco, Smith
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: None
ATTEST:
By:
. &&
Raj if atel, Chair
ary Dahl, hanning and Building Director
PC Resolution 0 1 -21
Page 1
EXHIBIT A
FINDINGS
27321 Altamont Road — File # SD20-0056
1. With regard to the Site Development Permit (SD20-0056) to allow for a new two-story house
at 27321 Altamont Road, the Planning Commission finds in accordance with Section 10-2.102
of the Los Altos Hills Municipal Code as follows:
a. The proposed development is in compliance with all regulations and policies set forth in
the Site Development ordinance.
The proposed new residence and associated improvements, with the exception of the
portions of the rear yard patio and pool improvements that exceed the limits set by the
Town's Grading Policy, comply with all applicable regulations and policies set forth in the
Site Development Ordinance because the project does not exceed maximum floor area and
development area, is within the building height limit, meets or exceeds the required
building setbacks, and complies with all other applicable requirements in the Site
Development Ordinance.
2. With regard to the Grading Policy exception request, the Planning Commission makes the
following findings:
a. There is a sufficient basis to support the Grading Policy exception to allow for fill that
exceeds three feet for the proposed patio and pool located behind the residence because the
larger setback from Altamont Road reduces the visibility of the residence. The grading
work and export will not take place during the Town's grading moratorium (October 1 to
April 30) and will be completed in accordance with Town procedures for grading and
construction operations. No trees will be removed in conjunction with the proposed
grading.
b. The proposed grading achieves the purpose of the Los Altos Hills Municipal Code Section
10-2.702(c) which states: "The amount of grading, excavation or fill shall be the minimum
necessary to accommodate proposed structures, unless grading is proposed to lower the
profile of the buildings." The front elevation of the residence has been set further back to
minimize the perception of bulk from Altamont Road. The amount of fill being requested
in order to align the elevation of the pool and patio with the finish floor of the residence is
the minimum necessary to accommodate the increased distance from Altamont Road.
c. The proposed grading will be consistent with grading provisions of the Site Development
Ordinance, including Section 10-2.401, which states the intent to limit adverse effects from
grading and Section 10-2.701, which states an intent to ensure that the site, location and
configuration of structures are unobtrusive when viewed from off-site, that scenic views
are retained, that buildings do not dominate the natural landscape and that ridgelines and
hilltops are preserved. The revised design of the patio and pool reduced their overall sizes
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and added additional fill below the pool wall, which results in a reduced amount of the pool
wall being exposed (six feet). Landscaping has also been proposed to stabilize the slope
and further reduce the visibility of the pool. The required landscape screening plan will be
reviewed by the Planning Commission to ensure that the structures are unobtrusive when
viewed from off-site.
PC Resolution 0 1 -21 Page 3
EXHIBIT B
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
27321 Altamont Road — File # SD20-0056
PLANNING DEPARTMENT
1. No other modifications to the approved plans are allowed except as otherwise first reviewed
and approved by the Planning Director or the Planning Commission, depending on the scope
of the changes.
2. Two sets of revised plans shall be submitted to the Planning and Engineering Departments
prior to building permit submittal. The revised grading and draining plan, shall be reviewed
and approved by Planning and Engineering staff prior to building permit submittal.
The project is subject to the Town's Construction Time Limit Ordinance (Chapter 10, Title
VIII of the Municipal Code). The maximum time for completion of the new residence shall
be 36 months from the date of Building Permit issuance. Failure to complete the project in
the allotted time may result in substantial penalties and fees.
4. All existing Blue Gum (E. globulus), Pink Ironbark (E. sideroxylon rosea), River Red Gum
(E. camaldulensis), Swamp Gum (E. rudis), Honey Gum (E. melliodora), or Manna Gum (E.
viminalis) eucalyptus trees on the property located within 150' of any structures or roadways
shall be removed prior to final inspection of the new residence. Removal of eucalyptus trees
shall take place between'the beginning of August and the end of January to avoid disturbance
of nesting birds protected under the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) and
California Department of Fish and Game Code Section 3500 et seq unless a nesting bird survey
is first conducted and there is a determination that there are no active nests within the tree.
No new irrigated landscaping shall be placed within 10 feet of the trunk of any existing oak,
trees. In addition, all grading shall be minimized within the drip lines of existing trees to be
preserved and no fill shall be placed within the driplines of any fenced trees.
6. The property owner shall remove all Stinkwort (Dittrichia graveolens) plants from the entire
property and in the road right-of-way by manual pulling or use of herbicide by October 1st
of each year until the final approval of the project.
7. Pathways within setbacks shall not exceed four feet in width. Stairways are not permitted
within setbacks.
Roof eaves of all structures shall not encroach into the required side and rear yards. The roof
eaves shall be shown on the site plans in the set of construction drawings.
9. Skylights, if utilized, shall be designed and constructed to reduce emitted light (tinted or
colored glass, or other material). No lighting may be placed within skylight wells.
10. Fire retardant roofing (Class A) is required for all new construction.
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11. All space heating and water heating systems installed in a new residence and/or detached
habitable building shall be all -electric systems. Gas or propane heating systems are not
permitted. If gas cooking or clothes drying appliances are installed, then dedicated electrical
receptacles and circuits will be required to allow for future electric appliances. Fireplaces
and all outdoor gas appliances are excluded from these requirements.
12. All construction shall comply with Section R337 of the 2019 California Residential Code
(Materials and Construction Methods for Exterior Wildfire Exposure).
13. New fencing is approved as shown on the plans. Any additional or modified fencing or gates
shall require review and approval by the Planning Department prior to installation.
14. All exterior lighting fixtures shall be down directed or shielded non-movable fixtures and
shall not exceed 3,000 Kelvins and 600 lumens. Exterior lighting on the new residence is
approved as shown on the plans. Landscape lighting is not approved at this time and shall be
submitted with the required landscape screening plan. Any changes to the approved lighting
plan shall be approved by the Planning Department prior to installation. No lighting may be
placed within setbacks except two driveway or entry lights.
15. Standard swimming pool conditions:
a. Lights shall be designed so that the source is not visible from off-site.
b. Drainage outfall structures shall be constructed and located to the satisfaction of the City
Engineer.
c. Equipment shall be enclosed on all four sides for noise mitigation and screening.
16. For swimming pools, at least one of the following safety features shall be installed to the
satisfaction of the Town Building Official:
a. The pool shall be isolated from access to the residence by an enclosure (fencing).
b. The pool shall be equipped with an approved safety pool cover.
c. The residence shall be equipped with exit alarms on those doors providing direct access
to the pool.
d. All doors providing direct access from the home to the swimming pool shall be equipped
with a self-closing, self -latching device with a release mechanism placed no lower than
54 inches above the floor.
17. The pool equipment shelter shall be completed prior to final inspection. The shelter shall be
modified to include sound attenuation material on the inside and the exterior of the shelter
shall utilize exterior materials and colors matching the existing residence.
18. As recommended by Cotton, Shires & Associates, Inc., in their report dated August 26, 2020
the applicant shall comply with the following:
a. Geotechnical Plan Review — The applicant's geotechnical consultant shall review and
approve all geotechnical aspects of the project building and grading plans (i.e., site
preparation and grading, site drainage improvements and design parameters for
foundations, retaining walls and driveway) to ensure that their recommendations have
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been properly incorporated. The consultant shall also ensure the correct recommended
seismic design criteria are incorporated into project structural design.
If expansive earth material is to be utilized for structural fill, then the consultant shall
clarify what measures will be utilized to prevent adverse shrink -swell or settlement
impacts to proposed site improvements.
The results of the plan review shall be summarized by the geotechnical consultant in a
letter and submitted to the Town Engineer for review prior to acceptance of plans for
building plan check.
b. Geotechnical Construction Inspection — The geotechnical consultant shall inspect, test
(as needed), and approve all geotechnical aspects of the project construction. The
inspections shall include, but not necessarily be limited to: site preparation and grading,
site surface and subsurface drainage improvements, and excavations for basements,
foundations and retaining walls prior to the placement of steel and concrete. The
consultant shall review shoring design, as provided by the Contractor, if applicable
during construction.
The results of these inspections and the as -built conditions of the project shall be
described by the geotechnical consultant in a letter and submitted to the Town Engineer
for review prior to final inspection.
For further details on the above geotechnical requirements, please refer to the letter from
Cotton, Shires & Associates, Inc., dated August 26, 2020.
19. All construction shall comply with 2019 California Green Building Standards Code, Part 11,
Title 24 mandatory measures. The property owner shall provide a 2019 CalGreen Residential
Checklist demonstrating conformance with all applicable mandatory measures at time of
building permit submittal.
20. Prior to beginning any grading operation, all significant trees, particularly any heritage oak
trees, are to be fenced at the drip line. The fencing shall be of a material and structure (chain-
link) to clearly delineate the drip line. Town staff must inspect the fencing and the trees to
be fenced prior to commencement of grading. The property owner shall call for said
inspection at least three days in advance of the inspection. The fencing must remain
throughout the course of construction. No storage of equipment, vehicles or debris shall be
allowed within the drip lines of these trees. Existing perimeter plantings shall be fenced and
retained throughout the entire construction period.
21. Exterior finish colors of all buildings shall have a light reflectivity value of 50 or less and
roof materials shall have a light reflectivity value of 40 or less, per manufacturer
specifications. All color samples shall be submitted to the Planning Department for approval
prior to issuance of the building permit. All applicable structures shall be painted in
conformance with the approved color(s) prior to final inspection.
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22. All properties shall pay School District fees to either the Los Altos School District or the
Palo Alto Unified School District, as applicable, prior to issuance of the buildingpermit. The
applicant shall take a copy of worksheet #2 to school district offices (both elementary and
high school in the Los Altos School District), pay the appropriate fees and provide the Town
with a copy of the receipts.
23. After completion of rough framing or at least six (6) months prior to scheduling a final
inspection, the applicant shall submit landscape screening and erosion control plans for
review by the Planning Commission. The application for landscape screening and erosion
control shall be accompanied by the applicable fee and deposit. The plans shall be reviewed
at a noticed public hearing. Attention shall be given to plantings which will be adequate to
break up the view of the new residence from surrounding properties, particularly the property
to the west, and from Altamont Road. All landscaping required for screening purposes and
for erosion control (as determined by the City Engineer) must be installed prior to final
inspection of the new residence. The landscape screening plan shall comply with Section 10-
2.809 (water efficient landscaping) of the Los Altos Hills Municipal Code.
24. A $5,000 landscape maintenance and water usage deposit shall be paid to the Town prior to
final inspection of the new residence. Two years after the project has been completed, staff
will review the water usage for the property and conduct a site inspection to ensure installed
landscape screening is still present and has been adequately maintained. Inadequate
maintenance of installed landscape screening and/or water usage greater than the annual
usage indicated on the approved parcel water budget worksheet, may result in complete
forfeiture of this deposit.
25. Prior to requesting the final inspection, a registered civil engineer or licensed land surveyor
shall certify in writing and state that "the location of the new residence and roof eaves, are
no less than 38' from the front property line and 30' from the side and rear property lines."
The elevation of the new residence shall be similarly certified in writing to state that "the
elevation of the new residence matches the elevation and location shown on the Site
Development plan." The applicant shall submit the stamped and signed letter(s) to the
Planning Department prior to requesting a final inspection.
26. Prior to requesting the final inspection, a registered civil engineer or licensed land surveyor
shall certify in writing and state that "the height of the new residence complies with the 27'
maximum structure height, measured as the vertical distance at any point from the bottom of
the crawl space or basement ceiling if excavated below natural grade, to the highest part of
the structure directly above (including roof materials)." The overall structure height shall be
similarly certified in writing and state that "all points of the building (including chimneys
and appurtenances) lie within a thirty-five (35') foot horizontal band based, measured from
the lowest visible natural or finished grade topographical elevation of the structure along the
building line and the highest topographical elevation of the roof of the structure." The
applicant shall submit the stamped and signed letter(s) to the Planning Department prior to
requesting a final inspection.
27. Two 24 -inch box oak trees shall be required on landscape screening plan.
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28. The condenser units shall be relocated to the east elevation of the home.
ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
29. Any, and all, changes to the approved grading and drainage plan shall first be approved by
the Town Engineering Department. No grading shall take place during the grading restriction
(October 1 st to April 30th) except with prior approval from the City Engineer. No grading
shall take place within ten feet of any property line.
30. All public utility services serving this property shall be placed underground. The applicant
should contact PG&E immediately after issuance of building permit to start the application
process for undergrounding utilities which can take up to 6-8 months.
31. An encroachment permit shall be obtained from the Public Works Department for all work
proposed in the public right-of-way. No work within the public right-of-way shall commence
without an encroachment permit.
32. All hydrant use is strictly prohibited by the Purissima Hills Water District. A permit for
obtaining water for grading and construction purposes must be obtained from the Purissima
Hills Water District and submitted for approval to the Town Engineering Department prior
to acceptance of plans for building check. The permit will authorize the use of water from
specific on-site or off-site water sources.
33. The property owner shall inform the Town of any damage and shall repair any damage caused
by the construction of the project to pathways, private driveways, and public and private
roadways, prior to final inspection and release of occupancy permits and shall provide the
Town with high-quality color photographs of the existing conditions of the roadways and
pathways prior to acceptance of plans for building plan check.
34. The property owner shall be required to connect to the public sanitary sewer prior to final
inspection. A sewer hookup permit shall be required by the Town's Public Works
Department prior to acceptance of plans for building plan check. An encroachment permit
shall be required for all work proposed within the public right of way prior to commencement
of work.
35. The property owner shall provide a copy of the Residential Service Design Load Information
to the Public Works Department prior to acceptance of plans for building plan check.
36. To ensure the existing sewer pressure lateral is in good condition and watertight, the Town
requires a pressure test to be conducted on the entire section of the existing lateral. The owner
is responsible for providing necessary cleaning and/or repairs within the lateral if found in a
defect condition. The test results and related proof of repairs shall be submitted to the Public
Works Department for review and approval prior to acceptance of plans for building plan
check.
37. Two copies of a Grading & Construction Operation plan shall be submitted by the property
owner for review and approval by the City Engineer and Planning Director at time of building
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permit submittal. The grading/construction operation plan shall address truck traffic issues
regarding dust, noise, and vehicular and pedestrian traffic safety on Altamont Road and
surrounding roadways; storage of construction materials; placement of sanitary facilities;
parking for construction vehicles; and parking for construction personnel. A debris box (trash
dumpster) shall be placed on site for collection of construction debris. Arrangements must
be made with the GreenWaste Recovery, Inc. for the debris box, since they have a franchise
with the Town and no other hauler is allowed within the Town limits.
38. Two sets of a final Grading and Drainage plan shall be submitted for review and approval by
the Engineering Department at time of building permit submittal. Final drainage and grading
shall be inspected by the Engineering Department and any deficiencies corrected to the
satisfaction of the Engineering Department.
39. Two copies of an Erosion and Sediment Control plan shall be submitted for review and
approval by the Engineering Department at time of building permit submittal. The contractor
and the property owner shall comply with all appropriate requirements of the Town's NPDES
permit relative to grading and erosion/sediment control.
40. The Engineer of Record shall observe the installation of the drainage system, construction of
the energy dissipators, and completion of the grading activities and state that items have been
installed and constructed per the approved plans. A stamped and signed letter shall be
prepared and submitted to the Town prior to final inspection.
41. All areas on the site that have the native soil disturbed shall be protected for erosion control
during the rainy season and shall be replanted prior to final inspection.
42. The property owner shall pay a pathway fee of $10,943, prior to issuance of the building
permit.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
43. An automatic residential fire sprinkler system approved by the Santa Clara County Fire
Department shall be included in all portions of the building. Three sets of plans prepared by
a sprinkler contractor shall be submitted to the Santa Clara County Fire Department Fire
Prevention Division (16795 Lark Avenue, Suite 200, Los Gatos, CA 95032) for review and
approval. The sprinklers shall be inspected and approved by the Fire Department, prior to
final inspection and occupancy of the new residence.
44. The gate shall be equipped with a Fire Department approved knox key switch or knox
padlock, prior to final inspection.
45. All construction shall comply with applicable provisions of the CFC Chapter 33 and Standard
Detail and Specifications S 1-7. Provide appropriate notations on subsequent plan submittals,
as appropriate to the project.
46. Potable water supplies shall be protected from contamination cause by fire protection water
supplies. The applicant and any contractors shall contact the water purveyor supplying the
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site of such project, and shall comply with the requirements of that purveyor. These
requirements shall be incorporated into the design of any water-based fire protection systems,
and/or fire suppression water supply systems or storage.
47. Approved numbers or addresses shall be placed on all new and existing buildings in such a
position that it is plainly visible and legible from the street or road fronting the
property. Numbers shall be a minimum of four -inches high with a minimum stroke width of
0.5 inch (12.7 mm) and shall contrast with their background. Address numbers shall be
Arabic numbers or alphabetical letters.
48. The driveway shall be paved with an all-weather surface acceptable to the Fire Department.
For alternative surfaces such as turf block, the boundary edges of the alternate material shall
be delineated as approved by the Fire Department. Delineation shall be by concrete curbs,
borders, posts or other means that clearly delineate the location and extent of the driving
surface.
49. The fire flow for this project is 2,500 GPM at 20 psi residual pressure from a singly hydrant.
As an automatic fire sprinkler system will be installed, the fire flow will be reduced by 50%
establishing a required adjusted fire flow of 1,250 GPM at 20 psi residual pressure.
Project approval may be appealed if done so in writing within 23 days of the date of the approval.
The building permit cannot be issued until the appeal period has lapsed. The applicant may submit
construction plans to the Building Department after the appeal period provided the applicant has
completed all conditions of approval required prior to acceptance of plans for building plan check.
Please refer to the Conditions of Project Approval set forth herein. If you believe that these Conditions
impose any fees, dedications, reservation or other exactions under the California Government Code Section
66000, you are hereby notified that these Conditions constitute written notice of a statement of the amount
of such fees, and/or a description of the dedications, reservations, and other exactions. You are hereby
further notified that the 90 -day approval period in which you may protest such fees, dedications,
reservations, and other exactions, pursuant to Government Code Section 66020(a), has begun. If you fail to
file a protest within this 90 -day period complying with all of the requirements of Section 66020, you will
be legally barred from later challenging such exactions.
Upon completion of the construction, a final inspection shall be required to be set with the Planning and
Engineering Departments two weeks prior to final building inspection approval.
NOTE: The Site Development permit is valid for one year from the approval date. All required
building permits must be obtained within that year and work on items not requiring a building
permit shall be commenced within one year and completed within two years.
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