HomeMy WebLinkAbout4.1 SupplementalJaime McAvoy
From:
Nicole Horvitz
Sent:
Wednesday, July 24, 2013 8:07 AM
To:
Jaime McAvoy
Cc:
Debbie Pedro
Subject:
FW: Middle Fork development - Lands of Jalil
Please send to the commissioners.
From: W Y [mailto:ynwlyongC&yahoo.com]
Sent: Tuesday, July 23, 2013 11:59 PM
To: Nicole Horvitz
Subject: Middle Fork development - Lands of Jalil
Dear Nicole Horvitz and the Town Los Altos Hills Commissioners,
SUPPLEMENT
AGENDA ITEM #
Distributed: 712.11/IS
We, the residents of 13456 S. Fork Lane, and neighbors of the property under prospective development
have several concerns related to the building plan even after the revisions were undertaken. We have looked at
the new story poles that have been erected and have compared them to the previous story poles and realized that
very little changes have been made, if at all. Our main concerns are:
1. Project Size
The house is currently slated to be greater than 11,500 sq ft in size with numerous exemptions included, such as
solar and using a permeable driveway to increase the house to the maximum limits allowed. Apparently, the
property across the road is also being used for the calculation of the MFA and MDA for this standalone site.
2. Grading
The project requests numerous exemptions on cut and fill from the guidelines. These exemptions if granted
would make the proposed building structure stand out from the contour rather than blend in with the
topography. It results in an imposing structure which is contrary to the rural environment of the surrounding
properties and the town of LAH.
If one is trying to preserve heritage oaks, making a cut of 26 feet (15 for the house cut plus 11 more for the
basement) near heritage oak is a way to hasten their demise.
3. Tree Removal
Previously 13 trees were to be removed, 9 of which are heritage oaks. Currently the plan calls for the removal of
6 heritage oaks. Ordinance states that no heritage oaks are to be removed unless under extreme circumstances.
However, we do not see any such circumstances to justify their removal and every effort should be made to
preserve and design around them.
4. Visual impact.
There is no landscaping in the front and sides of the house, which results in a highly visual man made structure
and not part of the natural environment.
In conclusion, we strongly recommend the property owners attempt to redesign the project to blend in
more naturally with the topography and preserve the overall rural and low profile characteristic of the
neighborhood and the town.
Sincerely,
The Yong family