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From: Belmont Addition

To: Brittany Bailey ; Dusty Cooper

Cc: Belmont Addition ;

"sbranan@greenbrookhomesdfw.com"

Sent: Saturday, December 15, 2012 1:24 PM

Subject: Re: Resolutions

Dear Brittany and Dusty:

Thank you for reaching out to us in an attempt to find a mutually

satisfactory resolution of our dispute. We would very much like to

reach a resolution with you and put an end to this dispute and avoid

future litigation over this matter. I am sure you feel the same

way. Toward that end, some of our neighbors met this week, and we

have come up with three possible resolutions that we hope represent a

compromise acceptable to both you and the neighborhood. In coming

up with these resolutions, we tried to consider the things that you said

are important to you (i.e., preservation of green space, having anattached garage, the view into your back yard and an open floor plan)

and the things that are important to us (preserving the lot grade,

maintaining the maximum number of stories at 2, garage placement

and setbacks).

It is not our desire to dictate the design of your home; we simply wish

to preserve the standards the neighborhood deems critical to the

ongoing success of our ordinance. We feel that each of these proposalsrepresent a sort of splitting of the baby in that they attempt to preserve

the things most important to both of us but require each side to give up

something substantive and important to them in order to reach a

compromise. While these options are the ideas we had, we are

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certainly open to other ideas that offer a true compromise and allow

each side to preserve some of what is important to them.

Proposal No. 1: Build the entire structure at the original grade level

(with no subterranean portions) with no more than 2' of raised

foundation or crawl space. With this option, we would be willing to

allow (a) the attached garage (at original grade, not below the grade) in

its present location under the second story and not behind it, (b) the

floor of the garage to be at grade so long as the rest of the house is no

more than 2' above grade, and (c) a full 24' driveway from the street to

the garage. By raising the garage to the grade level, this allows you to

maintain the maximum amount of green space, maintain your open

floor plan and keep the garage attached to the house. For us, this

proposal eliminates the need for the partially exposed subterranean

level under the front part of the house and restores the lot to its

original grade, thus addressing our lot grading and maximum of 2

stories concerns. What you would be giving up is the view to the back

yard, and we would be giving up on the setback, driveway width

limitation and garage location issues.

Proposal No. 2: Redesign the house such that the maximum distance

from the floor of the garage to the peak of the roof on the front section

of the house is 30 feet or less. This approach allows you to maintain all

of your objectives in some manner. Working with your architect, we

believe that it may be possible to achieve this by lowering the

foundation of the front and raising the garage a bit in such a way to

reduce the impact of a 3-story home from the street and preserving

some view and access to the backyard. In this scenario, we are givingup at least something on everything that is important to us.

Proposal No. 3: Move the garage to the rear of the lot and build the

remainder of the house at original grade level with a maximum height

of 30 feet. With this option, we would agree with a subterranean

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garage with up to one story above it. In this scenario, we would also

agree to allow a covered walkway between the garage and the house if

you like. (This is generally not allowed in our ordinance, but we will not

oppose it in this case.) This option allows you to maintain your view

and open floor plan and add another story over the rear portion of the

house to add additional square footage if you like. You would be giving

up having an attached garage, though we are ok with a covered access.

For us, we are giving on the lot grading issue in order to preserve the

look of a two story home by separating the garage from the

house. Most builders in the past have found a detached garage at the

back of the lot to be the most desirable way to achieve the best use of

the yard space on our narrow lots.

If you are interested in meeting to discuss proposals, we are certainly

willing to do that. And as I told Dusty when we last spoke, if we can

come to a resolution, we are committed to working with you as quickly

as possible to get city staff's approval and have a new permit issued so

that you can proceed with your project. If you have any questions, feel

free to contact me. We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Melissa Kingston

BACD Ordinance Review Committee