Progress.

Erika, would you uh do a roll call and um introduce staff and um provide members of the public the uh instructions for calling it?

I think I can manage that today.

Um, I'd like to announce the commissioners that will be absent, and we have our uh vice chair Latasa that will be absent, Commissioner Bluth is absent, Commissioner Palmer is also absent.

So today we have Chair Silva.

Here, Commissioner Freeman.

Commissioner Polly.

And Commissioner Stoker.

And our staff members in attendance are Principal Planner Fernando Riveri, Senior Associate Planner Chris Schmidt, and myself, recording secretary Erica Brera.

Information on participating in this meeting and participating in this meeting and providing public comment, including remotely by Zoom or telephone, is on this meeting's agenda, which is online at monary.gov forward slash agendas.

Remote commenters will be muted until it's their turn to speak, and a timer will be shown on the screen.

If you're connected on Zoom, the timer is accurate with no delay.

In the chamber, we recommend keeping phones and devices muted to prevent audio interference with the meeting.

Thank you for participating in your city government.

Thank you, Erica.

Um let's start with the consent agenda.

I would like to split this into two different motions.

If anyone in the public wishes to speak before the commission regarding an item on the consent agenda, you may do so.

Seeing nobody, are there any hands raised?

There are no hands raised.

We'll take this back to the commission comments.

Well, I did watch the minutes from the previous meeting that we couldn't approve last time.

I don't know if enough people did, but if so, I'd like to approve item number two on consent.

And did you say I could you want to take that separately?

Let's do that first.

Okay.

Motion.

Motion to approve item number two, the October 28th, 2025.

Well called then.

Chair Silva.

Yes.

Commissioner Freeman.

Yeah.

Commissioner Pauly.

Yes.

Commissioner Stoker.

Yes.

Great.

Those minutes have been approved.

Item three, uh, November 25th.

I'd like to make a motion to approve the November 25th minutes.

Second.

Well called.

Chair Silva.

Yes.

Commissioner Freeman.

Yes.

Commissioner Polly.

Yes.

Commissioner Stoker.

Yes.

Those minutes have also been approved.

Thank you, Caritha.

General public comments.

If there's anybody in the chambers that would like to come up to the podium and speak to the planning commission regarding an item that is not on today's agenda, you may do so.

Seeing nobody, uh, anybody uh on Zoom?

There are no attendees online.

Thank you, Eric.

We'll now um go to our first public appearance, our only public appearance item, which is considered 720 Terry Street.

Architectural review permit application ARP 250247.

For an addition to an existing single-family dwelling and reasonable accommodation request, applicant Eden Asturi, Conrad Asteri Studios, owner Howard B.

Fossler and Linda Prouse Fossler, trustees, residential single family R15 zone district, low density residential general plan designation, exempt from CEQA per Article 19, Section 15301, Class One.

Uh Chris, would you like to provide a staff report, please?

Uh yes, thank you, Chair Silva.

My name is Chris Schmidt.

I'm a senior associate planner with the city.

Uh, and I have worked with the project architect and owners on this project for a few months now.

So just to begin, the staff recommendation is that the planning commission adopt resolution approving the project.

This project includes a reasonable accommodation request to allow a residential elevator addition.

Uh so some background information.

The site is zoned R15.

It's our single family district and has a low density residential general plan designation.

It's a standard size lot at 50 by 100, and it contains an existing multi-level single family dwelling.

Um what is the project?

It is construction of a small elevator at the rear to serve all three levels of the existing dwelling.

Uh, it's approximately a 30 square foot footprint uh per flo uh per floor serving the garage, the bedroom level, and and main living levels.

Uh, and then again, this does include a reasonable accommodation request.

That in this case, uh, is it means this project would exceed some of the city zoning standards.

Uh, but based on the reasonable, reasonable accommodation section of the city code, uh, the applicant has made this request to exceed uh the required side yard setback requirement, floor area ratio, and story limit.

Uh so just quickly go through the the plans.

We have a site plan, and I've highlighted in orange the location of that elevator.

You can see it is within the uh setback area as shown on the plans here.

Um, and it's about three and a quarter feet away from the neighboring lot line.

And just quickly going through the various uh floor plans.

We have the garage floor plan.

So the idea is that the owner uh can access the other floors from their home from their garage.

Uh and so a new hallway would be constructed as well as that an elevator.

Here we see the lower floor level above the garage.

And I just want to point out if you if you look at the floor plans, you can note it is a split level home with with stairs kind of at each level.

Uh here's the main level, which is actually really more like at the street level.

And if you could imagine the driveway itself goes downhill from Terry Street to the garage.

There is a walkway to the front door that's nearly street level.

And so this will uh really help with the mobility issues experienced by the owner.

Um, and then here's the third level upper floor.

Again, lots of different areas where there's stairs, even this area is not gonna uh they're not gonna have this project will not fully solve the stair issue within the home, but it'll significantly improve the condition in terms of the internal circulation.

Um so here we have uh the proposed elevation.

This is the rear elevation, and on the left you can see the existing condition.

And then the side elevation, this is the side that's nearest to that property line.

And so those online who are not aware of a reasonable accommodation requests.

This is uh the city's uh implementation of state and federal housing, uh fair housing laws for individuals with disabilities.

So the state uh and federal laws support making in this case reasonable requests for accommodations and relief from zoning standards.

Um and as I mentioned, this is for things like setbacks, height, floor area ratio.

Um, you know, in the case of this project, this project still does meet the height limit.

It would just would not meet the story limit for the zone, which is two stories.

It would still be under the 25-foot height limit.

Um requests need to be reasonable and uh the applicants do have to explain their process of how they get to this design.

Um, and then also the accommodation can't uh impose an undue burden or or or uh undue costs uh burden, as well as make uh fundamentally change fundamental changes to the city's land use policy.

So you can't have a new use that is not consistent in this case.

The use would continue to be a single family dwelling.

Um so I did show on the various floor plans and and elevations that this is a multi-level story.

Uh it is clear that they're with somebody that has mobility issues, it'd be clearly difficult to navigate the home.

The property owner has has documented their long-term mobility impairments.

The architect has uh in their letter explaining their design process, explain the the various locations that they explored, both interior and exterior of the home, and why this is the least impactful design.

Um so with that, the planning commission has to make uh both the architectural review and reasonable accommodation findings.

Uh the findings are are greatly detailed in in the staff report.

So I'll skip through the architectural review, which I think our planning commission is very familiar with.

Um and then I will note uh there are specific findings for reasonable accommodations, also detailed in the plan.

Again, staff wasn't able to make that finding.

Uh, I can certainly go into more detail if the planning commission has any questions.

So with that, staff recommends approval of the projects, uh project I'm available for questions.

The project architect and the owners are here as well.

Thank you.

Thank you, Chris.

Questions?

Yeah, uh Chris, uh, very nice staff report.

Thank you.

Uh, any communication from any of the neighbors that are close by?

We did not receive any comments from neighbors.

Great.

Thank you.

Chris Abbott, more of a comment than a question.

And that is I served six years on the ARC and over two now on the PC.

I don't believe I've ever seen an application that utilized 3830.

They're reasonable accommodation.

Is that something that is very infrequently utilized by applicants?

It is.

Um, if I can only recall one other one in the last few years.

So it's it's not something that's commonly used.

And can you confirm that using 3830, the applicant is not uh required to apply for a variance?

Correct.

Thank you.

Um I'd like to just add something.

So the reasonable accommodation request, um, it would only come to you to planning commission if it also was required a use permit, a variance or a um not a variance, a use permit, an architectural review permit.

So uh the that rose to your level.

If the application was applicable to be reviewed at the staff level, the reasonable accommodation requests would be reviewed by our assistant city manager, who's also our um Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator.

And so it would be the encroachment into the side yard setback that triggered the ARC review as opposed to staff review.

Any um addition uh at a second level or above requires ARC review.

Thank you.

Would the applicant like to uh provide a brief presentation?

Hi, uh Eatness Surrey architect.

Um I'll keep it real brief.

I know uh we're the only uh once tonight, and we got Christmas right around the corner.

Um the only thing I wanted to add was uh the addition as as it encroaches over is still within the the current roof overhang as the roof gable in roof overhang extends over into the setback visually.

The addition that we're doing is still under underneath that and confined to that line.

And I'm available for questions.

I think Chris and the the report outlined everything very well.

Thank you, uh Eden.

Any questions for the applicant?

No.

No.

Are there any members uh in the chambers that would like to speak uh for or against this uh project?

Seeing nobody, Erica online.

There are no attendees online.

We'll take this back to the commission comments.

I'd like to make a motion for approval with the findings in the staff report.

I want to say before we uh take the motion.

This is a really kind of intriguing and interesting approval.

Um the accommodation, uh this could be like an example for the future for people who want to stay in their home and an elevator would accommodate that.

I think it's uh it's really neat that they're doing this.

So we have a motion.

Anyone want to entertain a second?

I'll second it.

We have a motion by Commissioner Stoker to approve the application, second by Commissioner Pauly.

Can we get a roll call, please, Erica?

Sure, chair sell that.

Yes.

Commissioner Freeman.

Yes.

Commissioner Polly?

Yes.

And Commissioner Stoker.

Yes.

Okay, that motion carries with the vote of four.

The decision is appealable within 10 days to our city council.

We have applications online or in our planning office.

Congratulations.

I saw a little furry thing that I thought was going to speak.

I I did, I was hoping it was going to speak.

It would make this much more entertaining.

Uh Commissioner Comments.

There you see there's a little dog poking his head up right over there.

And if we said anybody wanted to speak, and if he did, I thought it would be really good.

I I would like a very quick comment.

Um I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but the public hearing is has been closed.

Oh, okay.

Well, thank you.

That was my only comment.

You're welcome.

Commissioner Comments.

Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas.

Well, Merry Christmas and happy holidays for everybody.

The next planning commission hearing is on the 13th of January.

Are there any expected absences from any of us?

No.

Okay, planning staff reports.

Um, so just a follow-up to our December 16th, 2025 council meeting.

The city council passed second reading of an ordinance amending the city code to dissolve the ARC and transfer its powers and duties to the planning commission, which is why you all reviewed the elevator edition just now that would have gone to our ARC, but since now it's dissolved, it came to the Planning Commission.

And uh tentative agenda for January 13th next year would be 456 Lighthouse Avenue.

It's their six-month check-in from when their original use permit was approved by the planning commission.

This is the um business that has car-related events on Lighthouse.

And the tentative agenda for the January 20th City Council meeting is that the city attorney will be presenting a Brown Act update to the city council, but anyone can attend.

It'll be at 7 p.m.

All commissioners are encouraged to listen to the presentation either in person or Zoom.

If you're unable to attend, you may also watch the recording on YouTube.

And it's important that all decision makers understand the Brown Act and your responsibilities under the act.

Thank you, Fernanda.

Staff a question about absolutely.

This is a review of reuse permit of six months.

Do we need to, for those of us who aren't here, listen or review the previous uh the six-month action?

It would be helpful.

And also our staff report will have a background and summary of the approval.

The original approval.

I mean, it just seemed so soon ago.

Not that long ago.

Can you possibly send out a link to the previous recording?

If we will.

Okay.

To the you to the YouTube.

Yeah.

Yes.

And the resolution the resolution approving the original use permit will likely be attached to the agenda report.

Yeah.

Well, with that, we will adjourn this meeting.

Everybody have splendid holidays, and we will see you next year.

Thank you.