Condo Project Gets CUP From Planning Commission

A two-story, five-unit condo complex is one step closer to reality after the Sierra Madre Planning Commission unanimously voted for the approval of a tract map and conditional use permit for it at its Thursday evening meeting. The project's designers made alterations to their original plan that included reducing its size and considering how it would affect a pair of trees.

"I just feel like it fits better," said Planning Commissioner John Vandevelde. "They made a better project." 

The nearly 10,000-square-foot condo project also includes 12 parking spaces, with the project builders targeting the southwest corner of East Sierra Madre Boulevard and Sierra Place, according to city documents and Leticia Cardoza, Senior Planner for the city. The project was first pitched to the commission in late October of 2011. 

The project was originally supposed to include six units, but concerns about the location of a garage for one of the units eventually led to the builders eliminating one of the units and moving the garage-in-question to the rear. 

The elimination of one of the units also eliminated the need for the builders to ask for the approval of a "density bonus," which would have granted the builders the ability to exceed the maximum number of dwelling units allowed on the project area. The Planning Commission originally did not believe the garage's location constituted "exceptional design" that would have paved the way for the the bonus, according to city documents.

Another revision to the project focused on the Tree Advisory Commission's October concerns about the potential impact a pair of Coast Live Oak trees in the area. The revisions took into account an arborist's suggestions to replace the paving material around one of the trees to help preserve its roots, as well as alter the paving of the driveway within the tree's dripline area. These revisions were supposed to be brought to the Tree Commission's attention at a meeting earlier this week, but the lack of a quorum led to the meeting being canceled. The next meeting is Feb. 21.

The builder also plans to use more drought-tolerant species, get rid of almost all planting under the trees and replace portions of block walls with a redwood fence. Parking spaces and a trash/recycling enclosure were also moved, and story poles were also assembled.

"Thank you for embracing Sierra Madre, and becoming a part of this town," said resident Barbara Leigh Cline during her public comment to the developers.

Other notes: The commission also voted 5-1 on approving the construction of a two-story, 3,367-square-foot home on Camillo Street. Planning Commission Chairman Kevin Paschall was lone dissenting vote, as he believed the home was still "a bit too big" for the area.