AgdaPkt 2003-06-23 - Laserfiche WebLink

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' i� special circumstance. Per the City Arborist's analysis, an existing heritage sized Redwood Tree located in the front yard area very near the sidewalk would not be compromised if the applicant sought an addition to the front of the home within the setback limitations (Appellant's Issue A, Redwood Tree). No easements or waterways affect the build -out of the property. The parcel is therefore not considered to be of substandard size or irregular shape and does not have special topographical features that wc:jld qualify it for a variance (Appellant's Issue B, Small Lot). Location and Surroundings: The site is situated along the south western side of Barkentine Lane near the intersection of Barkentine Lane and Tiller Lane within the Marlin Subdivision in the Redwood Shores community. The subject property is one of many single - family residences that were developed within the Marlin Subdivision in 1972. Within the Marlin Subdivision and the greater Redwood Shores neighborhood there are many properties that are substantially similar with respect to size and shape (see Attachment # 4, "Similar Properties "). Over 500 parcels of the same size or smaller have been identified in the Marlin Subdivision and surrounding area. More specifically, eleven (11) of the 22 properties (50 %) located on the same side of Barkentine Lane as the subject parcel, which all back -up to either Mariner Park or the levee, are also 6,500 square feet. Twelve properties on Teredo Drive back up to the other side of Manner Park. Six (6) of those parcels (50 %) are 6,300 square feet. Thus, in addition to being larger than the minimum lot size per the Zoning requirements described in the previous discussion, the parcel is substantially consistent with other parcels in the neighborhood, and is furthermore substantially consistent with other parcels that back up to Mariner Park and parcels located on Barkentine Lane (Appellant's Issue B, Small Lot). The site's rear property line abuts Mariner Park. The appellant's letter suggests that the property's location adjacent to the park is a "special" circumstance. The Zoning Administrator has carefully considered this particular statement. The Zoning Administrator acknowledges that it is less common for residential lots to abut parks and /or open space rather than to abut other residential parcels; however, this proximate relationship does not automatically imply a special circumstance meriting a setback variance. The spatial relationship of the open space in no way affects the ability to build -out the property at 454 Barkentine Lane within the established setbacks, and hardship is not demonstrated. According to standard planning practice with respect to Variances and the Zoning Ordinance, the special circumstances must "deprive" reasonable build -out of the property. Furthermore, there are numerous properties in the Marlin Subdivision, Redwood Shores, and generally in Redwood City as a whole, which back -up onto open space. Staff estimates that almost 800 individual parcels in the Redwood Shores community have substantially similar circumstances with regards to the proximity of open space. Please refer to Attachment # 5, "Parcels Adjacent to Open Space." Consequently, the Zoning Administrator determined that the subject property is not located near or surrounded by any special circumstance that represents a hardship for the development of this property in accordance with the provisions as established in the Redwood City Zoning Ordinance (Appellant's Issue C, Park). Basing the Variance merely on proximity to open space would establish a new precedent for all R -1, as well as residential properties in other Zoning Classifications, which abut open space. Such a decision has significant implications to how open space is treated in 2 City of Redwood City Graphic Information System (GIS) has a +/- 3% margin of error.