152 and 158 willowbrook lane

D E S I G N R E V I E W

B O A R D

S T A F F R E P O R T

329 Rheem Boulevard Moraga, CA 94556 (925) 888-7040 [email protected] www.moraga.ca.us

FOR BOARD ACTIONJANAURY 11, 2016

152 and 158 Willowbrook Lane

Design Review (DRB 16-15) to approve a 10 foot tall 150 square foot arborin the rear yard setback of 152 Willowbrook Lane and approval of a 11 foottall 121 square foot shade sail structure within the rear yard of 158Willowbrook Lane (3 DUA-PD, BH)

I. Application Basics

A. Zoning Permits Required:· Design Review, under Moraga Municipal Code (MMC) §8.72.030-A for the

placement of an accessory structure taller than six feet (6’) in height within arequired setback.

B. CEQA Determination: Categorically exempt pursuant to Section 15303 of theCEQA Guidelines (“Class 3, New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures”)

C. Required Findings for Approval

Findings for Design Review Approval

Pursuant to the Procedural Considerations set forth in the Design Guidelines, thefollowing findings are required for approval of Exceptions:

1. The proposed improvements conform with good design as set forth in the Townof Moraga Design Guidelines, and in general contributes to the character andimage of the town as a place of beauty, spaciousness, balance, taste, fitness,broad vistas, and high quality.

2. The proposed improvement will not have a substantial adverse effect onneighboring properties or the community due to poor planning; neglect of properdesign standards; or the existence of building and structures unsuitable to andincompatible with the character of the neighborhood and the character of thecommunity.

3. The proposed improvement will not lower property values; discourage themaintenance and improvement of surrounding properties; or preclude the mostappropriate development of other properties in the vicinity.

4. The proposed improvement will not impair the public health, safety or welfare.

152 AND 158 WILLOWBROOK LANE DESIGN REVIEW BOARD of 6 JANUARY 11, 2016

D. Parties Involved:· Applicant/Property Owners SummerHill Homes, 3000 Executive Parkway,

Suite 450, San Ramon, CA 94583

· Landscape Architect Van Dorn Abed, 81 14th Street, San Francisco,CA, 94103

Figure 1: Vicinity Map

Table 1: Land Use Information

Location Existing Use Zoning District General Plan Designation

Subject Property Single family residencesunder construction

3 DUA-PD Residential 3 DwellingUnits per Acre

SurroundingProperties

North,East

Single family residences 3 DUA-PD Residential 3 DwellingUnits per Acre

South,West

Single family residences 3 DUA-PD Residential 3 DwellingUnits per Acre

Table 2: Project Chronology

Date Action

January 6-7, 2014 Planning Commission approved the Vesting Tentative Map, Conceptual DevelopmentPlan, General Development Plan, Grading Permit and Hillside Development Permitfor the Harvest Court (Camino Ricardo) Subdivision.

May 27, 2014 Design Review Board approved public park/open space area design

June 9, 2014 Design Review Board approved landscaping, streetscape, lighting and single-storyhomes design review

158 Willowbrook Lane

152 Willowbrook Lane

DESIGN REVIEW BOARD 152 AND 158 WILLOWBROOK LANEJANUARY 11, 2016 of 6

September 18, 2014 Planning Commission approved the Precise Development Plan

February 25, 2015 Town Council approved the Final Subdivision Map on

March 15, 2015 Harvest Court (Camino Ricardo) Final Subdivision Map recorded

August 17, 2015 Planning Commission approved a Condition Use Permit for a temporary sales office,model homes and signage

November 23, 2015 Application for Design Review Board submitted (DRB 16-15)

December 23, 2015 Hearing notices mailed and posted

January 11,2015 Design Review Board hearing

II. Project Setting

A. Background:The Harvest Court (formerly Camino Ricardo) Project is an approved 26-unit single-family residential subdivision, located on a 14.25 acre site within the Moraga CenterSpecific Plan (MCSP) area.

The subdivision is located within the northern portion of the Moraga Center Specific PlanArea, which is generally bounded by Moraga Road to the east, Country Club Drive to thesoutheast, and the Sonsara subdivision and residential subdivisions to the north andeast. The area immediately surrounding the project site includes vacant/undevelopedland to the south that is planned for future residential development under the MoragaCenter Specific Plan, Laguna Creek and Town-owned open space immediately to theeast, with and residential uses to the north.

The Planning Commission approved a Conceptual Development Plan (CDP), GeneralDevelopment Plan (GDP) and Vesting Tentative Map for the project in January 2014,and the Precise Development Plan in September 2014. A Final Subdivision Map wasapproved by the Town Council on February 25, 2015, and grading for the project andconstruction of the first residences is now underway.

On August 17, 2015 the Planning Commission approved a Conditional Use Permit for atemporary sales office on lot 13 (162 Willowbrook Lane), model homes on lots 11 and12 and temporary signage. The model homes would be Floor Plan 2 in a Bay AreaTraditional style on Lot 12 and Floor Plan 3 in an Early California style on Lot 11consistent with the approved architectural plans. No modifications would be made to theapproved architectural plans for the purpose of the model homes facility. The sidewalks,front yard landscaping and driveways and pedestrian paths to the front doors of themodel homes would be constructed per the approved improvement plans for thesubdivision. Landscaping would be installed in the rear and side yards to finish theproperty.

The landscaping plan for the model homes includes construction of a 10 foot tall 150square foot arbor within the rear yard setback at 152 Willowbrook Lane and a 121square foot 11 foot tall shade sail at 158 Willowbrook Lane. The arbor will be permanentimprovement and therefore requires approval by the Design Review Board for the


location of an accessory structure exceeding 6 feet in height within the rear setback perMoraga Municipal Code §8.24.040.B. The second structure, a shade sail, would belocated outside of the setbacks, and so could be approved administratively. However, itis being included with this permit to reduce the amount of processing time that would beassociated with processing the two applications separately.

B. Neighborhood/Area Description:The project parcels are lots 11 and 12 of the Harvest Court subdivision which is locatedwithin the northern portion of the Moraga Center Specific Plan Area, The areaimmediately surrounding the project site includes vacant/undeveloped land to the souththat is planned for future residential development under the Moraga Center SpecificPlan, Laguna Creek and Town-owned open space immediately to the east, with andresidential uses to the north.

C. Site Conditions:The proposed accessory structures would be located in the rear yard of the residencesunder construction on lots 11 and 12 of the Harvest Court subdivision. These lots aresome of the smallest in the subdivision, each a little over 8,000 square feet with 60 footfrontages on Willowbrook Lane. The lots have been graded to have flat pads that stepup the hillside from Camino Ricardo, with retaining walls that run along the interiorproperty lines.

III. Project Description

The project consists of two separate approvals for the construction of accessory structures inthe rear yards of 152 and 158 Willowbrook Lane as follows:

152 Willowbrook Lane: Construction of a 10 foot tall 150 square foot arbor within the rearyard setback. The arbor would be located 5 feet 9 inches from the rear property line andconstruction of Douglas Fir painted Sherwin Williams French Roast, a dark brown color. Twodecorative flameless bronze lanterns would hang from the arbor rafters approximately 6 feet6 inches off the ground.

158 Willowbrook Lane: Construction of an 11 foot tall 121 square foot shade sail structureconsisting of three bronze colored metal support poles, between which an off-white(porcelain) colored sail, comprised of a high density polyethylene material would be extendedin a triangular shape.

IV. Community Discussion

The public meeting notice was mailed to 30 property owners within a 300-foot radius of thesite and posted at the site on December 23, 2015. At the time of this staff report, nocomments were submitted.

V. Issues and Analysis

Staff reviewed the project for conformance with the Moraga Municipal Code (MMC), GeneralPlan, and Design Guidelines.

DESIGN REVIEW BOARD 152 AND 158 WILLOWBROOK LANEJANUARY 11, 2016 of 6

A. Moraga Municipal Code: The project is subject to design review because it involves thelocation of an accessory structure within a required rear yard setback. The property islocated in the Three Dwelling Unit per Acre – Planned Development (3 DUA-PD) zoningdistrict. The zoning code requirement for a freestanding accessory structure is found inMMC §8.24.040 (B), which states that

“The minimum side yard setback for an accessory structure of six feet or less in heightis three feet if the structure is set back at least fifty (50) feet from the front propertyline. The minimum rear yard setback for an accessory structure of six feet or less inheight is three feet. An accessory structure higher than six feet is permitted withinthese setback areas upon approval by the design review board.”

MMC §8.24.040 (B) gives the Design Review Board authority to consider and decideproposals to place accessory structures within a required setback rather than requiring avariance.

B. Design Guidelines: Within the Design Guidelines, under the design philosophy, a goalof design review in single family residential neighborhoods is to ensure thatdevelopment reflect the existing neighborhood and does not create adverse impacts onadjacent properties or the neighborhood. Design Guideline SFR 1.3 specificallyaddresses accessory structures, as follows:

“Accessory structures should complement the main structure unless the accessorystructure cannot be seen from neighboring properties. Landscaping may be required toscreen the accessory structures from view off site.”

The arbor and shade sail structure are complimentary to the use of the rear yard forrecreation and leisure and are compatible with the character of the single familyneighborhood.

The arbor at 152 Willowbrook Lane would be located 5 feet 9 inches from the rearproperty line, which backs to bio-retention area for the Harvest Court subdivision, 11 feet6 inches from the interior (east) side property line and thirty 6 feet 6 inches from theexterior (west) side property line which fronts on Camino Ricardo. Between the CaminoRicardo right-of-way and the western side property line is an open space areaapproximately 20 feet in width that will be planted with fruiting pears as part of theHarvest Court Landscaping plan, which will provide for screening of the rear yard fromCamino Ricardo. Additional screening will be provided from two Coast Redwoods and aCalifornia Buckeye which will be planted in the open space bio-retention area directlybehind the property and 6 foot tall good neighbor fencing that would enclose the rearyard area. The arbor will be painted a dark brown color which will be compatible with theearth tone colors of the residence. The shade sail at 156 Willowbrook Lane would besetback from the side (east) property line 23 feet, from the rear property line 19 feet 9inches and from the side (west) property line 23 feet 6 inches. These setbacks allconform to the 3 DUA zoning district. The shade sail would be substantially screenedfrom off-site views by proposed landscaping and 6 foot high good neighbor fencing.


C. General and Area Plan Consistency: The following policy of the 2002 General Planapplies to the project:

1. Policy LU1.1–Neighborhood Preservation: Protect existing residential neighborhoodsfrom potential adverse impacts of new residential development and additions toexisting structures.

Staff Analysis: The proposed accessory structures will utilize landscaping forscreening that will be installed as part of the Harvest Court landscaping plan and themodel home and sales trailer plan, which includes permanent landscaping for themodel homes, approved by the Planning Commission on August 17, 2015. Inaddition to the landscape screening provided, the proposed accessory structures aredesigned to complement the residences on each of the properties. An arbor andshade sail structure would be consistent with the recreation and leisure uses that arenormal for a rear yard in a single family district.

VI. Recommendation

Because of the project’s consistency with the Zoning Ordinance and General Plan, andminimal impact on surrounding properties, staff recommends that the Design Review Boardapprove the attached draft action memorandums to approve DRB 16-15 with conditionspursuant to MMC Section 8.72.080 subject to findings and conditions of approval.

Attachments:

A. Draft Action MemorandumB. Portion of Camino Ricardo/Harvest Court Landscaping Plan (Lots 11 Through 13)C. Model Home Landscaping PlanD. Project Plans

Staff Planner: Brian Horn, [email protected], (925) 888-7044

Reviewed by: Ellen Clark, [email protected], (925) 888-7041

ATTACHMENT A

DRAFT ACTION MEMORANDUM

of 3 – Draft Action Memorandum for 152 and 158 Willowbrook Lane (File No. DRB-16-15)

Town of MoragaPLANNING DEPARTMENT

329 RHEEM BOULEVARD

MORAGA, CA 94556(925) 888-7040

DESIGN REVIEW BOARD ACTION MEMORANDUM

On January 11, 2016, the Town of Moraga Design Review Board considered the applicationdescribed below:

DRB 16-15 – SummerHill Homes (Applicant), 152 and 158 WillowbrookLane: Design Review #16-15 to approve a 10 foot tall 150 square foot arborin the rear yard setback of 152 Willowbrook Lane and approval of an 11 foottall 121 square foot shade sail structure within the rear yard of 158Willowbrook Lane

DESIGN REVIEW BOARD ACTION:

The DESIGN REVIEW BOARD hereby grants approval of the projects at 152 and 158Willowbrook Lane in accordance with the following findings and conditions of approval:

PART 1: DESIGN REVIEW FINDINGS:The findings below are required in accordance with Planning Commission Resolution 16-01in order for the Design Review Board to approve an application within a single-familyresidential district:

1. The proposed improvements conform with good design as set forth in the Townof Moraga Design Guidelines, and in general contributes to the character andimage of the town as a place of beauty, spaciousness, balance, taste, fitness,broad vistas, and high quality because the arbor and shade sail will be screenedfrom offsite views by the residences (under construction) and fencing and vegetation,and would be designed to complement the character of the residences.

2. The proposed improvements will not have a substantial adverse effect onneighboring properties or the community due to poor planning; neglect ofproper design standards; or the existence of building and structures unsuitableto and incompatible with the character of the neighborhood and the character ofthe community because the proposed arbor and shade sail structure will becompatible with the residential character of the neighborhood, and consistent with theuse of a residential yard area for recreation and leisure. The arbor will be located aminimum of 5 feet 9 inches from the rear property line, which abuts a fallow orchard,and will not negatively affect the level of privacy, access to light and air and shade forthe surrounding properties.


3. The proposed improvements will not lower property values; discourage themaintenance and improvement of surrounding properties; or preclude the mostappropriate development of other properties in the vicinity because the proposedarbor and shade structure will enhance the values of the properties and therebyincrease the value of surrounding properties. The project will encourage use of therear yard area and as a result inspire future maintenance in the rear yard.

4. The proposed improvements will not impair public health, safety or welfarebecause the accessory structures would not be expected to have any adverse healthor safety impacts on the community. There could be some minor temporary noise anddust impacts that are normally expected during the construction of any new building orstructure. The proposed conditions of approval will help mitigate any adverseconstruction impacts.

PART 2: CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL:

1. The plans submitted for building permits for the construction of a 10 foot tall 150square foot arbor in the rear yard setback of 152 Willowbrook Lane and approval of an11 foot tall 121 square foot shade sail structure within the rear yard of 158 WillowbrookLane shall be substantially in accordance with the plans reviewed by the DesignReview Board on January 11, 2016, and this Design Review Board ActionMemorandum. Any significant changes to the plans will require re-submittal to theDesign Review Board for approval.

Conditions Shall be Printed on Plans

2. The conditions of this permit shall be printed on the first sheet of each plan setsubmitted for a building permit pursuant to this approval, under the title ‘DesignReview Board Conditions.’ The sheet(s) containing the conditions shall be of the samesize as those sheets containing the construction drawings; 8-1/2” by 11” sheets are notacceptable.

Applicant Responsible for Compliance with Conditions

3. The applicant shall ensure compliance with all of the following conditions. Failure tocomply with any condition may result in issuance of a citation, and/or modification orrevocation of the approval.

Prior to Issuance of Building Permit

4. The applicant shall comply with all applicable provisions of MMC Section 15.08.050Construction and Demolition Debris.

During Construction

5. Construction hours shall be limited to the hours approved for the CaminoRicardo/Harvest Court subdivision.


6. The applicant and their contractors shall be responsible for preventing spills of anydemolition debris or construction materials on Town streets. If any spills of debrisoccur, then the applicant will be held responsible for the immediate cleanup of the spilland repair of any damage that may have been done to the street. The correction ofthe problem shall be made to the satisfaction of the Town Engineer.

At All Times

7. This permit and each condition contained herein shall be binding upon applicant andany transferor, or successor in interest.

8. The approval will be valid for one year from the date of approval if there is no appeal. Ifconstruction is not commenced within one year from the date of final action the permitbecomes null and void. However, this discretionary action may be renewed by thePlanning Director for a maximum period of one (1) year provided the applicant placessuch a request in writing to the Planning Director showing good cause prior to theexpiration of the discretionary action.

Design Review Board action is appealable to the Planning Commission within ten (10)calendar days after the date of the decision. Questions regarding the action of the Boardshould be directed to the Planning Department at (925) 888-7040.

__________________________Ellen ClarkPlanning Director

ATTACHMENT B

PORTION OF CAMINORICARDO/HARVEST COURT

LANDSCAPING PLAN (LOTS 11THROUGH 13)

ATTACHMENT C

MODEL HOME LANDSCAPINGPLAN

Page 5

Page 6

ATTACHMENT D

PROJECT PLANS

152 and 158 willowbrook lane

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