|
|
|
|
Project Title: |
0 Willamette Avenue Kensington Design Review Development Plan |
|
|
|
|
County File(s): |
CDDP23-03009 |
|
|
|
|
Applicant/Owner: |
Jasmit Rangr, Rangr Studio (Applicant) / Dean Michael Gridley (Owner) |
|
|
|
|
Zoning/General Plan: |
R-6 Single-Family Residential District, -TOV Tree Obstruction of Views Combining District, -K Kensington Combining District / RM Residential Medium Density |
|
|
|
|
Site Address/Location: |
0 Willamette Avenue between Highland Boulevard and Purdue Avenue in the Kensington area of unincorporated Contra Costa County (Assessor’s Parcel Number: 570-161-009) |
|
|
|
|
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Status: |
Categorical Exemption, CEQA Guidelines Sections 15303(a) |
|
|
|
|
Project Planner: |
Grant Farrington, Planner III (925) 655-2868 |
|
|
grant.farrington@dcd.cccounty.us |
|
|
|
|
Staff Recommendation: |
Approve (See Section III for Full Recommendation) |
|
|
|
I. PROJECT SUMMARY
The applicant requests approval of a Kensington Design Review Development Plan for the construction of a new single-family residence and detached garage that has a gross floor area of 3,293 square feet (where 3,000 is the maximum gross floor area permitted) on a vacant lot. The project includes a Variance for a 5-foot front yard setback (where 20 feet is the minimum required) for a 499-square-foot detached garage and a 1-foot front yard setback (where 20 feet is the minimum required) for a retaining wall that exceeds 3 feet in height. The project also includes a Tree Permit for the prior removal of a code-protected Coast Live Oak tree.
II. RECOMMENDATION
Department of Conservation and Development, Community Development Division (CDD) staff recommends that the County Zoning Administrator:
A. FIND that the project is categorically exempt from CEQA under Section 15303(a) of the CEQA Guidelines.
B. APPROVE Kensington Design Review Development Plan CDDP23-03009 for the construction of a new single-family residence and detached garage that has a gross floor area of 3,293 square feet, including the Variance for a 5-foot front yard setback (where 20 feet is the minimum required) for the detached garage and a 1-foot front yard setback (where 20 feet is the minimum required) for a retaining wall exceeding 3 feet in height, and a Tree Permit for the prior removal of a code-protected Coast Live Oak tree, based on the attached revised findings and subject to the attached revised conditions of approval.
C. DIRECT staff to file a Notice of Exemption with the County Clerk.
III. BACKGROUND
At the March 17, 2025 meeting, the Zoning Administrator opened the public hearing then continued the item to the April 21, 2025 Zoning Administrator meeting as an open public hearing, in order to provide the applicant additional time to submit a revised design with reduced square footage of the detached garage. On March 31, 2025, the applicant submitted revised plans with the change requested by the Zoning Administrator. At the April 21, 2025 hearing, the item was continued to May 5, 2025 as an open public hearing with testimony received. At the May 5, 2025 Zoning Administrator hearing, the Zoning Administrator continued the project indefinitely in order to have the Kensington Municipal Advisory Council (KMAC) review the changes to the proposed development. The applicant subsequently submitted revised project plans on December 4, 2025 that included changes to the overall size and height of the detached garage as well as changes to the size of the residence. The revised plans are included herein as Attachment B. The District 1 staff liaison to the KMAC reported in an email that the KMAC reviewed the revised plans at its January 28, 2026 meeting, and recommended approval of the project. The email is included as Attachment C.
The December 4, 2025 revised plans show alterations to the detached garage fronting Willamette Avenue. The new front yard setback is 5 feet and the total height is approximately 14.3 feet at the highest point. The lower floor design of the residence includes an additional 247 square feet and the upper floor design includes an additional 81 square feet over the previously submitted plans. The total gross floor area of the proposed project is now 3,293 square feet, which exceeds the gross floor area threshold of 3,000 square feet for the subject property.
IV. COMPLIANCE WITH KENSINGTON COMBINING DISTRICT CRITERIA
The revised project is subject to the development regulations of the Kensington (-K) Combining District. The regulations of the Combining District are intended to provide specific regulations to fairly and efficiently implement the Contra Costa County General Plan policies for the Kensington area so that future development recognizes the rights of property owners to improve the value and enjoyment of their property while minimizing impacts upon surrounding neighbors and not substantially impairing the value and enjoyment of the neighbors’ property. Lots located in the Kensington Combining District maintain a threshold for gross floor area of all development on the subject properties as determined by the overall square footage of the all development on the subject properties as determine by the overall square footage of the lot. For this lot, the gross floor area threshold is 3,000 square feet. A previous design of the proposed project included a total development of 2,996 square feet including the residence and garage. The December 4, 2025 project plans include revisions to the overall design which increases the total development square footage of the project to 3,293 square feet.
Evaluations of projects in the Kensington Combining District which exceed the lot threshold standards include seven criteria for approval of the Development Plan. The original design of the project was evaluated for the required seven criteria. Due to the submittal of revised plans that include a total square footage that exceeds the gross floor area for the subject lot, a revised discussion of the seven criteria is detailed below to demonstrate that the most recent project design from December 4, 2025 satisfies all seven criteria.
1. Recognizing the rights of property owners to improve the value and enjoyment of their property.
Finding: The project is for the construction of a new single-family residence and detached garage on a vacant lot in the R-6 Single-Family Residential District. Detached single-family dwellings and the accessory structures and uses normally auxiliary to the dwellings are permitted uses in the R-6 district. Except for the variance request for the reduced front yard setbacks, the residence meets all other applicable year yard setback distance requirements for the R-6 District as well as height restrictions for number of stories and measured total height. The detached garage does not exceed the size threshold for accessory buildings. Due to the topography of the lot, findings can be made for granting reduced front yard setbacks for the garage and the adjacent retaining wall. The proposed development will allow the property owners to establish a residence on the lot which has been vacant since the lot was created and provide additional off-street parking on Willamette Avenue.
2. Recognizing the rights of property owners of vacant lots to establish a residence that is compatible with the neighborhood in terms of bulk, scale, and design.
Finding: The proposed residence will have a gross floor area of 3,293 square feet including a 2,814-square-foot residence and a detached 499-square-foot garage. Other lots along the north side of Willamette Avenue in the immediate vicinity have residences that range in size from 1,700 to 3,500 square feet as well as attached and detached garages for off-street parking. The proposed residence will be congruent with adjacent residences that range in size from 2,300 to 2,500 square feet. Of note, the subject property has a larger lot size than the adjacent parcels and thus is afforded a higher gross floor area threshold as a result. The proposed residence utilizes a tiered story design similar to other residences on the north side of Willamette Avenue that have a progressive upward sloped topography in order to not exceed the maximum height allowed. In addition, the residence meets all applicable front, side and rear yard setback minimum distances. The detached garage and adjacent retaining wall require variances to the front yard setback minimum distance. Due to the topographical challenges of lots on Willamette Avenue, granting the variance requests will be consistent with other off-street parking and accessory structures in the vicinity. The design consists of façade material finishes that are common in the Kensington area including wood siding and stucco. Thus, the project is compatible with the neighborhood in terms of bulk, scale, and design.
3. Minimizing impacts upon surrounding neighbors.
Findings: The project involves the construction of a new 2,814-square-foot residence and a 499-square-foot detached garage on a vacant lot that will be in conformance with all applicable development standards for the R-6 District with approval of a variance for reduced front yard setbacks for the garage and the adjacent retaining wall. Section 84-74.204(b) of the Kensington Combining District Ordinance specifies that the ordinance is intended to promote the community’s values of preservation of views, light and solar access, privacy, parking, and residential noise levels. The project is consistent with these values.
• Views: The applicant has previously erected story poles to demonstrate the proposed height of the residence to confirm minimal impacts to the adjacent parcels with regards to protected scenic views. The highest elevation point of the proposed residence is at the 827’9” elevation above sea level contour and the natural grade at the rear property line is at approximately the 830’ elevation above sea level contour. The proposed location of the residence is also set back further away from the front property line with regard to the residence on the adjacent lot to the east. Thus, the project will have minimal impact on scenic views to dwellings on adjacent lots located on Garden Drive and Purdue Avenue to the north or other lots on Willamette Avenue.
• Privacy: The proposed residence itself meets all applicable yard setback distance minimum requirements. The location of the proposed residence is set back further on the lot than the adjacent residences on Willamette Avenue and the project plans include elevation drawings showing the outline of the proposed residence as it relates to the location of the existing residences at 245 and 255 Willamette Avenue. In addition, the proposed project, an existing fence is located on the shared property lines to further screen the properties from neighbors.
• Light and Solar Access: The residence and detached garage are to be located in the central portion of the lot that will not obstruct light and solar access to existing residences in the immediate vicinity. The residence is under the maximum allowed total height and does not include any design features that be inconsistent with other lots in the surrounding area with similar topography. No mature trees are to be planted with the project that could potentially restrict access to light and solar.
4. Protecting the value and enjoyment of the neighbors’ property.
Findings: As previously mentioned, the construction of the new residence and detached garage will not significantly block any scenic views of surrounding lots or decrease privacy or access to sunlight. The project is a new single-family residence that does not include any aspect that would otherwise encourage marginal development or be inconsistent with the General Plan or Ordinance Code. Therefore, in the absence of significant impacts on neighboring parcels with regards to excessive or marginal development, the project will preserve the value and enjoyment of the neighbors’ property.
5. Maintaining the community’s property values.
Findings: As stated above, the project is a new single-family residence that does not include an incompatible land use that would be inconsistent with the General Plan or Ordinance Code or conflict with the surrounding residential community. The proposed residence will not substantially affect scenic views, privacy or solar access for neighboring parcels and does not encourage marginal development that may negatively affect property values. Therefore, the project will maintain the community’s property values.
6. Maximizing the use of existing interior space
Findings: The subject parcel is vacant and this project is for the construction of a new single-family residence and detached garage. Therefore, this criterion does not apply.
7. Promoting the general welfare, public health, and safety.
Findings: The project does not change the land use of the subject property and as described earlier, does not adversely impact surrounding properties. Construction of the single-family residence improves the value of the lot. There are no side or rear yard encroachments and the project is under the maximum height limit. In addition, the project will not use or emit hazardous substances beyond what is normal for a residential property. Based on the foregoing reasons, the project promotes the general welfare, public health, and safety of the Kensington community.