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Published on 03/09/1998 All articles from this issue

Neighbors fight 2-story additions on Camellia Way

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By Joanne Griffith Domingue

Town Crier Staff Writer

City council agreed with the neighbors on Camellia Way who appealed an approved second-story addition, and sent the design back to the Architectural and Site Control Committee.

The Los Altos City Council members, at their March 10 meeting in a 4-1 vote, said to reduce the size and bulk of the second-story addition and to look at the encroachment into the daylight plane.

Valerie Rebesque just wants to be able to add bedrooms for her 4-week-old baby, for her visiting family and for an office so she can work from home.

But some of the neighbors don't want second stories added to the houses on their street of 1950s single-story ranch homes. Currently there are three houses with a second story on the street.

Design appeals are very rare, said Mayor Kris Casto. There have been only four in the past 10 years. Two were in the last six months, both on Camellia Way. Last year the city reviewed 50 to 100 houses.

All over town residents are becoming militant about what they call over-built, pretentious chateau-like homes that hulk over a neighbor's cottage or ranch house.

"We don't like those big houses with stucco and tiles on their roof - those castles, either," Rebesque said. "Our project is elegant and simple and ranch style and consistent with the street and current houses."

Some of her neighbors disagree.

"That is not a low-impact house," said John Wright. James Sasseville, who lives next door to Rebesque, told the council that he worries about his "imperiled privacy."

The Rebesque remodel has no side windows and a balcony was removed from the back.

The neighbors who appealed the design point out that the current houses on the street are about 2,000-square-feet. The remodeled house will have about 3,500-square-feet and be what they call "massive" in comparison.

Those appealing begged the council to "rescue Los Altos from monster houses."

Mayor Casto voted against the appeal, saying the design was fine as approved.

"The applicants followed our process, they've done their best to follow our guidelines, they have complied. It is well designed with existing setbacks, no variances, no special circumstances, no side windows, no rear deck. It is compatible. The house of the '50s is not the house of the '90s."

Other young families who have moved to Camellia Way agree.

"It's a pretty look and enhances the neighborhood," said Jennifer Delamare, a three-year resident on the street.

Tom Rohrer, who has lived on Camellia Way 42 years and helped name the street, said "I don't want to tell my neighbors what to do." He called the remodel plan "attractive."