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Published on 05/11/1998 All articles from this issue

Los Altos says no to 2-story addition

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By Joanne Griffith Domingue / Town Crier Staff Writer

When John and Stephanie Friend appealed their two-story addition and remodel to the Los Altos City Council, the answer was no.

In a 4-1 vote at the May 12 meeting, council members upheld the city staff and architectural and site control committee recommendation to deny the appeal.

"I like the design," said Councilman Lou Becker. "But it is not compatible with the neighborhood."

The neighbors in the Galli and Angela drives area, tucked next to city hall just off San Antonio Road, do not want any two-story houses in their neighborhood of one-story 1950s ranch houses.

More than 100 residents signed petitions opposing the two-story addition.

And 15 spoke at the May 12 meeting.

"We want to save a whole neighborhood," said Glen Putman, who lives on Angela Drive. A two-story addition "is not compatible with ranch-style homes."

The Friends, with their two small children, moved from Pleasanton to Galli Drive less than a year ago.

And when they moved in, "we had no idea" about the neighborhood sentiment against two-story homes, Stephanie Friend said.

They want to add two bedrooms, and they want to build up to preserve space in the yard of their 13,000-square-foot lot for play equipment and possibly a pool, John Friend told the council.

They hired a local architect. They followed the city's design guidelines. They tried to be sensitive to bulk issues by using dormer windows and keeping the second story inside the roof line like an attic. They tried to affirm privacy issues by including no side windows.

"The Friends have done an excellent design," said Councilman King Lear. "If you're going to approve any two-story house, it should be this one. They meet all the requirements and followed all the rules."

But the city is in the midst of reviewing the design guidelines. And "we may micro-zone two-story houses out of some neighborhoods," Lear said. He asked the Friends to hold up on their plans.

Councilman John Moss said that since he has been on the council, "I've never seen so many people speaking in one direction, (as they are) regarding two-story houses. Consistency (in the neighborhood) is important." He suggested the Friends consider a one-story design.

Friend said that if he did that, he worried about an interior kitchen with no windows and being cut off from the back yard.

But neighbor Jenny MacEwen, who recently completed a one-story addition and remodel to her ranch house on Angela Drive, said "you can do it all" without adding a second story.

Three skylights flood her kitchen with light and she can still see into her back yard. Her 2,200-square-foot ranch is now a 3,000-square foot home with five bedrooms, and is the same floor plan as the Friends, she told the council.

The Los Altos Planning Commission will be receiving public input regarding the city's residential guidelines at its 7:30 p.m. meeting Thursday, in City Hall, 1 N. San Antonio Road.