From:Sasha Rovin [mailto:[email protected]] Thursday ......Nov 12, 2015 · Sasha...

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Jacob, Melinda

From: Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB)Subject: FW: 1120 Woodside Rd Proposed ConstructionAttachments: 1120 Woodside Road_11_12_2015__.pdf

From: Sasha Rovin [mailto:[email protected]]

Sent: Thursday, November 12, 2015 11:30 AM

To: Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB) <[email protected]>

Subject: RE: 1120 Woodside Rd Proposed Construction

Dear Zoning Adjustments Board,

Please find comments below made by an architect (attachment) and real estate agent (pasted message) with

regard to this proposed project.

Best,

Sasha

[email protected]

310.704.7515

Begin forwarded message:

From: Zanna Knight <[email protected]>

Date: August 10, 2015 at 14:43:37 PDT

Sasha,

Thank you for sharing your neighbor's plans with me.

I was quite taken aback when I visited by the way the neighbor's home will sit on the land,overlooking your home

in such a direct and bold manner.

Most people buy in Park Hills bc of its feeling of privacy and greenness.

Your privacy would certainly be compromised by what looks like a citadel next door. Also seems like the lower part

of lot will be devoted to a rambling driveway.

Those kinds of things are important to buyers--they value privacy and I've yet to meet anybody who wants to live

next to a massive driveway. Certainly not people who want Park Hills.

I've had people turn down homes many times bc the neighbors were too close and overlooked their homes, even in

the more populated parts of Berkeley. Certainly, more is expected in Park Hills. It will almost certainly devalue your

home.

Cheers,

SUPPLEMENTAL ITEM -1120 WOODSIDE ZAB 11-12-15 of 18

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Zanna

-------------------------------

Zanna Knight

Top 6% Nationwide

Top 100 Northern California

Cell: 510.459.7198

Office: 510.486.1495

Fax: 510.549.3720

www.ZannaKnight.com

BRE 01277854

Coldwell Banker

1495 Shattuck Avenue (at Vine)

Berkeley, CA. 94709

Sent from my iPhone so please excuse any spelling or grammar faux pas.


M/APMendelson Architecture + Planning

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Re: Analysis of Design for 1120 Woodside Road, Berkeley, CA. 11/12/2015

To Ms. Sasha Rovin

Hello Sasha,

I’ve reviewed these latest drawings, and here are my thoughts - in line with our conversation from yesterday.Please do share this brief analysis, as you wish.

Site Design Analysis:This is a difficult site to develop conveniently.

The client and architect have elected to implement an incongruous, steep, and heavily structured driveway -carved into the lower slope and first parcel of the site.

This is a logical design choice if you want to enable a close connection between the garage and the rest ofthe house. But if you then make a secondary decision to create a single bar of development with carved outfamily spaces and fairly significant windows located up-slope - the house not only continues to impact theupper view shed – but also creates a solid two-story massing high above the street.

Frank Lloyd Wright famously said that “no house should ever be on a hill or on anything…it should be of thehill.” This house really dominates what could have otherwise been a more nuanced use of the two parcelsite. Our firm would have recommended that the client shape the design more like an “el,” with familyoutdoor spaces cradled with the landscape and distributed to the side and front of the house. It would havecreated a lower resulting profile on the hill, would have brought more nuanced and increased light into thespace, and would have avoided creating an unrelenting bar of development with an uphill battle againstgrade.

Siting and Massing Recommendation: A: The entire design of the main floor should be lowered into grade, and the architect might achieve

this through a combination of increased retaining wall investment in the rear; higher “strip” windowsin parts of the house as required, and possibly the addition of several steps up from the dining andliving room spaces to reach the outer deck space.

B: The garage must lower as well, with a resulting lower driveway grade and upper pad. C: The house would thus have a reduction in the exposed lower-story. But the area in front of this

lower story must be copiously planted with dense, low planting - And the house will feel morenaturally situated as a result.

D: The middle roof – over the main space – should be further lowered. The articulation of the roofmassing is useful, but lowering this roof a bit more will help the overall profile.

Exterior Cladding Recommendation:The house should be clad in a pallet of natural wood with darker eaves, facias and soffits. It will thusintegrate into the landscape and recede into its surrounding planting and neighborhood rhythm. If stucco isused, it should be used sparingly and in light to medium grey shades.


M/APMendelson Architecture + Planning

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Thank you for your attention.

Sincerely,

Joel MendelsonPrincipalMendelson Architecture + Planning

415.658.1725


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Jacob, Melinda

From: Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB)Subject: FW: 1120 Woodside Rd Proposed ConstructionAttachments: Petition Against Proposed Construction.pdf




Subject: RE: 1120 Woodside Rd Proposed Construction

Dear Zoning Adjustments Board,

Please find attached a petition from some of the residents in Park Hills requesting adjustments be made to the

proposed construction at 1120 Woodside Rd. This document was created to inform the Park Hills Board that

there was disagreement in their determination that this design is harmonious with the design characteristics of

neighborhood. Please let me know if you have any questions or need any more information regarding this

document.

Sincerely,

Sasha Rovin

1124 Woodside Rd

[email protected]

310.704.7515


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Jacob, Melinda

From: Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB)To: Sasha RovinSubject: RE: 1120 Woodside Rd




Subject: RE: 1120 Woodside Rd

Dear Berkeley Zoning Adjustments Board,

I am a concerned resident adjacent to the proposed project at 1120 Woodside Rd. I urge the board to request

adjustments to the building design with regard to the following concerns:

• This single-story home is elevated to such a height above grade that it overpowers the surrounding

homes, making it incongruous with their design characteristics.

o Please reference 2015-11-12_ZAB_Staff Report_1120 Woodside Policy UD-24–Area

Character: Regulate new construction and alterations to ensure that they are truly compatible

with and, where feasible, reinforce the desirable design characteristics of the particular area they

are in.

• The setting of the home into the hillside is not consistent with that of the surrounding homes.

o Please reference 2015-11-12_ZAB_ATT1_1120 Woodside_Findings and Conditions -

GENERAL NON-DETRIMENT FINDING

D. The new dwelling would be set into the hillside sufficiently to generally preserve the

neighborhood pattern of buildings that fit into the topography, and the landscape plan will ensure

that the new dwelling is screened with landscaping similar to surrounding development.

• The home's design necessitates an exceptionally long driveway that is larger than the square footage of

both of the homes on either side.

o Again, please reference 2015-11-12_ZAB_Staff Report_1120 Woodside - Policy UD-24–Area

Character

• The home's elevation also requires that the driveway be elevated above grade into the window of the

adjacent neighbor, encroaching on their view shed and impacting their light.

• From the plans, an attempt to determine the square footage of covered surface in this design shows that

~4900 sq ft or ~60% of the lot is covered. 40% of the lot is ~3500 sq ft.

o Note: I am aware that driveways are not typically included in this calculation, but due to the

nature of its dominance on the lot, I produced this calculation for reference.

o This design element is also incongruous with the bucolic setting and the way that the

surrounding homes interact with the natural environment, please reference 2015-11-

12_ZAB_Staff Report_1120 Woodside - Policy UD-24–Area Character

I would also like to voice concerns about the way that the architect has presented information to the

neighbors. Two occasions cited here show that information was potentially misrepresented.


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• The document distributed to neighbors about the home identified it as a 2 bedroom, 2.5 bath, while it is a

3 bedroom, 2.5 bath. The architect has agreed that due to the fact that the third room has a closet it does

qualify as a 3 bedroom.

• The architect stated that the city was prepared to approve the plans if the Park Hills HOA approved

them. The city's representative from Rincon stated that no such statement was made by the city.

I would like to know what oversight is provided by the city during the construction-phase of the project to

ensure that the plans are implemented as agreed.

Thank you so much for your time and consideration in this matter.

Sincerely,

Sasha Rovin

1124 Woodside Rd

[email protected]

310.704.7515


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Jacob, Melinda

From: Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB)To: Paul WinsbergSubject: RE: Proposed construction at 1120 Woodside Road

From: Paul Winsberg [mailto:[email protected]]

Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2015 6:11 PM


Cc: Sasha Rovin <[email protected]>

Subject: Proposed construction at 1120 Woodside Road

To the Berkeley Zoning Adjustments Board, I would like to express my concerns about the proposed construction at 1120 Woodside Road. In my view, the plan for the new house is not in character for the neighborhood and presents an intrusive elevation. With the placement of the garage on the same level as the living space, the plan has an unusually large footprint. This footprint is elevated on columns above Woodside Road, presenting an imposing facade to the street and immediate neighbors. The problem is compounded by an unusual driveway, raised on columns to reach the elevated garage. Typically in our neighborhood, the garage is placed below the living space to take advantage of the slope of the lots. This design would reduce the footprint of the house and eliminate the intrusive elevated driveway. Please consider these concerns and reject the proposed plan in the forthcoming review meeting. Thanks, Paul Winsberg 1003 Overlook Road Berkeley, CA


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Jacob, Melinda

From: Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB)To: Janice SchultzSubject: RE:

From: Janice Schultz [mailto:[email protected]]

Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2015 1:32 PM


Subject:

To Whom it May Concern-

As a resident of the Park Hills community I hope that the design for a new house at 1120 Woodside Road can

be modified to be in keeping with the character of the surrounding homes. In my opinion the current design

would result in a structure too large for the site and looming over its neighbors.I am surprised that the Park Hills

Board even approved this over-sized structure for our area. Jan Schultz-16 Muir Way


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Jacob, Melinda

From: Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB)To: Brad BunninSubject: RE: Proposed construction at 1120 Woodside Road

From: Brad Bunnin [mailto:[email protected]]

Sent: Monday, November 09, 2015 9:38 PM


Subject: Proposed construction at 1120 Woodside Road

Dear Members of the Zoning Adjustments Board:

We’re writing as concerned neighbors about the house proposed for 1120 Woodside Road. We’ve reviewed the

plans and visited the site. We’re aware that the daughter of the couple who will be living in the house is herself

concerned about her parents’ future health and wants them living nearby. We find that commendable. We do

not believe the house proposed for the site is, however, well-designed for an aging couple, and we speak from

the perspective of an aging couple ourselves. Here are the reasons why:

The long driveway from street to garage apron and front entrance, and the obvious difficulty of maneuvering a

car from inside the garage to the street—which would require multiple backing and filling to turn the car

around—seem ill-suited for the couple’s daily lives and safety. There also appears to be a real hazard to the

neighbors next door to the garage, if a driver were to lose control, because the portion of the driveway close to

their house overlooks their house.

The driveway itself appears from the elevation to be steep and long, and to run diagonally across most, if not

all, of the frontage. We have lived in Park Hills since 1985, and during our time here, we’ve witnessed many

calls by EMT teams as our neighbors have grown older. We’re concerned that first responders would face

unnecessary challenges in reaching the house with emergency equipment at a time when every minute counts.

For these reasons, we sincerely hope that the design of the house be modified to bring its entrance lower on the

site, to avoid the aesthetic, practical, and safety-related problems that the proposed design presents.

Sincerely,

Brad and Nenelle Bunnin

1035 Park Hills Road

Berkeley, CA 94708


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Jacob, Melinda

From: Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB)To: Jeeva RocheSubject: RE: 1020, Woodside Rd

From: Jeeva Roche [mailto:[email protected]]



Subject: Re: 1020, Woodside Rd

I write to express my concerns regarding the proposed plan of the house to be built at 1120, Woodside Rd in the Park Hills neighborhood. While there has been some accommodations made, this remains to be an overpowering structure which disrupts the harmony of the environment. There must be more considerations and further changes for the neighbors and the neighborhood. It is not the modern aspect of the architecture but the incompatibility of the size of the proposed structure that dwarfs everything around it, and once built will impose a dissonance that cannot be undone. Thank you,

Jeeva Roche


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Jacob, Melinda

From: Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB)To: Jeanie DorranceSubject: RE: Permit #ZB2015-0131

From: Jeanie Dorrance [mailto:[email protected]]



Subject: Re: Permit #ZB2015-0131

To Whom It May Concern, I am writing as a concerned Park Hills resident and neighbor of the site of the proposed Woodside Rd. housing architectural designs. I am also writing as a health care professional specializing in geriatrics. At my last job, employed by the San Francisco Institute on Aging, I conducted regular interior and exterior Home Safety Evaluations for all the (elder) participants in our largest program. I was hired to set up the Occupational Therapy Department in the newest site at the time, and continued on as the head of Occupational Therapy for close to seven years. After reviewing the architectural plans for the home on Woodside Rd, I was very surprised to see how limited the depth of the turnaround area is for backing out of the garage. I would rate the very limited space for backing out of the garage as an “extreme hazard” because of the high potential for backing up too far and breaking through the proposed wooden railing to a drop-off of approximately 15 feet. Such an accident would be catastrophic and not out of the range of possibility for the owners of the Woodside Rd lot (aged 68 and 72) facing possible declining vision or other physical changes. Many people don’t realize that impaired vision in one eye, such as from a cataract, significantly impairs depth perception. In this situation, it is very easy, especially in the dark, to misperceive the depth of field that is available while driving. Hence, the relatively limited space for backing out of the driveway could be highly

dangerous for an individual with poor vision in one eye. In addition, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or early dementia are possible life challenges for individuas in their twilight years, which studies show are more common after age 65, and their incidence increases with age. Because the distance for backing out of the garage is so limited, there is potential danger, for that matter, for anyone unfamiliar with the area while backing up, again, especially at night. Additionally, it seems to be a poor design that the limited driveway space available for backing out of the garage would necessitate having to go back and forth multiple times to make the very tight turn (~80 degrees) to go down the driveway. A reconfigured, perhaps a much shorter driver to a lowered house, would seem to make more sense architecturally. This back and forth motion could be onerous and even painful if the homeowner developed arthritis in one or both shoulders. As far as backing down the driveway, the sharp turn toward the road would also be difficult to navigate, especially in the dark or with possible physical challenges of advancing age. Even though the architect apparently considered the age of his clients in designing access to the house, the multiple potential problematic safety concerns with the current driveway design should not be ignored. I’m sure the architect could come up with a more customary driveway design. In addition to redesigning the driveway, I would

recommend determining whether emergency vehicles, such as an ambulance or a fire truck, would be limited or prevented from adequately accessing the house given the difficulty of backing down the driveway, especially in light of the the sharp turn toward the street. As a neighbor, I am concerned that the housing design is so high (equivalent to two stories) that it is overly imposing for the one-story homes on each side and on the street in general, and in this way, it does not seem harmonious in the Park Hills neighborhood. (According to the plans, the height of the proposed house will be 9 feet higher than one-story homes on each side.) Because the new owners want a one-story home, it could easily fit on the lot in a non-imposing, harmonious way simply by insetting it into the hillside. In this way, the new home would not be overly imposing because its height would be very similar to their adjacent neighbors’ homes, which are inset into the same hill. To someone living across or down the street from the proposed house, it may not seem imposing in height, but I don’t doubt if they lived next door, they would notice it. In my opinion, the only way for the new Woodside Rd house to not be overly imposing on the street or in the neighborhood, would be for it to be inset in the hillside the way the


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other houses are. On Woodside Rd, insetting the proposed house would give it a similar roof height as the houses on the same side of the street. As mentioned, insetting the proposed home in the hill would also allow the new owners to have a safe driveway rather than the uncustomary, high risk one currently proposed. Thank you kindly for your attention on this matter. Sincerely, C. Jean Dorrance, MS, OTR Occupational Therapist


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Jacob, Melinda

From: Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB)To: Linda FriedmanSubject: RE: 11120 Woodside Road. Berkeley

From: Linda Friedman [mailto:[email protected]]

Sent: Sunday, November 08, 2015 4:58 PM


Subject: 11120 Woodside Road. Berkeley

I would like to request that the home being built at 1120 Woodside Road, Berkeley be more in line, architecturally, with the

style and placement of the surrounding homes.

Thank you

Linda Friedman

1062 Park Hills Road

Berkeley


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Jacob, Melinda

From: Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB)To: [email protected]: RE: objection to proposed construction on Woodside in Park Hills

-----Original Message-----

From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]

Sent: Saturday, November 07, 2015 5:18 PM


Subject: objection to proposed construction on Woodside in Park Hills

> To whom it may concern,

>

> I am writing to voice my concern about a proposed house on Woodside, which looks to be entirely out of proportion to

surrounding houses. Even the stakes currently there loom over the street; I can't imagine how over-imposing the actual

structure would be.

>

> One of the many joys of living in Park Hills is the opportunity to enjoy the natural beauty which surrounds us. I love

walking through our streets, admiring plants and soaking in the environment. We seem to have kept our neighborhood

free of the McMansions overtaking other neighborhoods in the Bay Area, and it is my fervent wish that we keep new

housing consistent with the low-key and low-visibility styles of Park Hills.

>

> Thank you for your serious consideration of neighbors' concerns about this proposed development.

>

> Best regards,

> Joan Lester

> 1016 Middlefield Road

> Berkeley, 94708

> Sent from my iPad


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Jacob, Melinda

From: Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB)Subject: FW: Woodside Road new home proposal

From: Michael L. Spolan [mailto:[email protected]]

Sent: Saturday, November 07, 2015 1:19 PM


Subject: Woodside Road new home proposal

Dear Zoning Board: I am writing as a Park Hills homeowner to express my concern with the prospective project on Woodside Road. I feel the proposed home is too large and would disrupt the atmosphere of the neighborhood. This is a very friendly and cooperative community where neighbors uphold the value of courtesy toward one another. This project, if approved, would undermine that spirit and for this reason I feel it should be modified before it is approved. Very truly yours, Michael Spolan 1020 Middlefield Road


From:Sasha Rovin [mailto:[email protected]] Thursday ......Nov 12, 2015 · Sasha...

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