Appeal to Coastal CommissionRegarding 3435 Marina Drive

as Approval by Santa Barbara City Council,Planning Commission and

by the Single Family Review Board

February 11, 2015

Rural Setting of this Breamar Ranch Area is its Natural Setting and Rustic Setting Supported by the Neighborhood

Recent History and Now

Appeal to City Council of 3455 Marina => 30-foot view corridor through 3455 and 3435 home for public views from Marina. Lower committees denied this. Thank you.

We return, again, for reasonable consideration of our objections, again ignored by lower committees that considered the neighborhood compatibility to be defined by four homes East and West on Marina, and not those North of Marina.

Typical neighborhood representation used by Staff.

Actual entire neighborhood with avocado orchards, horse corrals (5 horses/acre),

open fences and fields

Central Location of Lot

Quote from Staff Report to Planning Commission

“There are a few two-story residences in the neighborhood. Although the proposed house is larger than most others in the neighborhood, the residence could be considered to be compatible with the neighborhood.”

How can this be a rational to approve the home? It clearly should lead to the opposite conclusion!

Familiar Arguments by Supporters of the Proposed House

• 2nd floor hidden behind existing trees – only two King palms that block nothing!

• Design the result of ideal active participation of neighborhood and architect – only neighbors that support it were included: those East and West.

• Reasonable in size given nearest 20 homes – eliminating Hope Ranch and Sea Ledge (100 feet below Cliff Drive) it is the THIRD largest home with the SECOND largest F.A.R. where larger homes with larger F.A.R. are its two West neighbors.

• There are other 2nd story homes in the area – three tucked away so as not to obstruct.

• A solid wall along Cliff Drive is needed for privacy because of parking at the view point – parking for view point does not include this lot.

• Arbitrary ‘string theory’ forces home to be away from Cliff and toward Marina – a more logical string theory moves the house toward Cliff and away from Marina.

What We Would Like to See Happen

Recognition that the proposed house is not compatible with the neighborhood:

– No 2nd floor: we have petition with over 50 signatures supporting this

– Move the building more central to the lot and reduce fill to lower the finished floor elevation – no longer needs to look over solid wall along Cliff.

– No solid fences around the property including along Cliff Drive – use picket fence as do East and North neighbors

City View Park

Proposed house

X

X

XX

North

Ocean

X = 2nd floor

North

Ocean

Seen from Marina Seen from Cliff Drive

Google Earth shows 2nd floor has impact on scenic views all around

Size and F.A.R. Comparisons

20 Nearest Homes Used by City – includes Sea Ledge and Hope Ranch

Unseen from Cliff Drive

behind shrubbery so not applicable

Home in a very different

subdivision shape so not

applicable

Homes in the same

subdivision

Original ‘string’

moving house toward Marina

More representative ‘string’ moving house toward

Cliff

‘String’ Theory Applied to house position on lot

Bulk of house should be moved toward Cliff to be compatible with

subdivison spacing

≈ 30’

Some Topography of the sloping lot

What We Would Like to See Happen

– No 2nd floor: Google Earth shows blocks public Cliff views of hillside and so many private/public views from North

– No solid fences around the property including along Cliff Drive – use picket fences as do East and North neighbors as there is no public parking view parking

– Lower the finished floor elevation by moving the building more central to the lot – no longer needs to look over solid fence along Cliff.