1 - City of Glendale

The current proposal features a more contemporary Ranch style with a gabled roof to match
the residences in the neighborhood. The proposed overall two-story building height is 28' is
well below Code limits (maximum building height in the R1R zone is 32 feet, with an
additional three feet for pitched roofs). During the ORB meeting, certain Boardmembers
pointed out the potential to modify the ceiling and roof design and required that the overall
roof height be lowered by two feet (Exhibit #4). Therefore, as conditioned, the overall height
for the pitched roof will be 26 feet. This condition height would result in a house that is
compatible with the two-story homes along the north side of Buckingham Place and also
help to slightly reduce the visual impact of the addition with regards to the appellant's views
from their bedroom windows.
The appellant repeatedly states that the proposed project does not address the recommendations
made by the City Council during the last appeal in 2009.
Staff's Response:
The City Council cited that the previous project was not compatible with the neighborhood in
terms of mass and scale, and design, and that the project resulted in conflicting relationships
with adjacent buildings (Exhibit #7).
The owner hired a new architect who submitted a new design submittal in response to the City
Council's comments:
• The current project is approximately 700 square feet less in size than the previous
proposal;
• The footprint/size of the 2nd story addition has been reduced and shifted away from the
adjacent neighbor to the east; and
• The project has been redesigned in a more contemporary, Ranch-influenced style to
be more compatible with the neighborhood.
SUMMARY
Based on the analysis of the appeal and the reasoning above, staff recommends that the City
Council uphold the ORB decision. The Boardmembers took into account not only the size of the
home, but also the project's massing, scale, height, setback, landscaping, window placement,
garage location, use of material and colors and other architectural design elements in
determining compatibility. The two-story project, as conditioned, appears to be compatible with
the surrounding neighborhood, despite its size, and is a commendable design with high quality
materials and details.
To reiterate the basis of the ORB's decision, the Record of Decision includes the following:
Site Planning: Minor changes are proposed for the footprint of the existing house on the
angled flag lot, yet the overall site planning of the site will remain similar to the existing.
Small additions are proposed at the ground level along the south and west elevations, while
a new semi-cantilevered deck is proposed at the rear to provide more flat surface area. The
proposed project is only partially visible from Buckingham Place, and will not be readily
visible from Chevy Chase Drive, given the curvature of the street and the building location
atop the steep slope. Except for the slight decrease in existing hardscape and the proposed
rear deck, the landscaping will not be affected and will remain as is, with the exception of
additional landscaping required to screen the base of the new deck. Staff is recommending
that additional landscaping be installed at the base of the deck to soften its appearance.
Overall, the proposed site plan is compatible with the adjacent developments.
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