[0:11] Are we good to go, Julie?

[0:14] All right.

[0:17] This is the call to order for the March

[0:20] 4th, 2026 meeting of the Town of

[0:24] Woodside Planning Commission. We'll

[0:26] start with the pledge of allegiance.

[0:49] Roll call, please.

[0:51] >> Chair Weaver,

[0:52] >> present.

[0:53] >> Vice Chair Gar,

[0:54] >> here.

[0:55] >> Commissioner Evans,

[0:56] >> here.

[0:57] >> Commissioner Gonerko,

[0:58] >> here.

[0:59] >> Commissioner Tober.

[1:04] » Are there any changes to the published

[1:06] agenda? There are no changes to the

[1:09] agenda. There are no desk items. I do

[1:12] want to just take this opportunity to

[1:13] introduce and congratulate our new

[1:15] planning commissioner, uh, Darren Evans.

[1:18] Um, and also congratulate Matt Gar for

[1:20] being reappointed.

[1:22] We have a full group and that's great.

[1:24] And, uh, look forward to many meetings

[1:26] ahead.

[1:30] » Welcome to Darren.

[1:32] Welcome.

[1:37] » We will now open our public

[1:39] communication period for items not on

[1:41] tonight's agenda. Uh this is an

[1:44] opportunity for members of the public to

[1:47] bring up issues of interest to the town

[1:49] of Woodside and its planning commission,

[1:51] but which are not on tonight's published

[1:53] agenda. Uh this is traditionally limited

[1:56] to up to five speakers at a maximum of

[2:00] three minutes each at the beginning of

[2:02] the meeting and if there are more

[2:03] speakers than that that can be deferred

[2:05] to the end of the meeting. But this is

[2:07] for items that are not on tonight's

[2:09] agenda. So given that is there anyone in

[2:11] the room or on Zoom that would like to

[2:13] speak during the public comment period?

[2:17] >> We have no attendees online at the

[2:19] moment.

[2:19] >> Okay.

[2:21] Given that I will close the public

[2:24] comment period and we can move on to the

[2:26] consent calendar which seems to consist

[2:30] of the approval of the minutes from the

[2:33] February 18th meeting of the planning

[2:35] commission.

[2:37] Does anyone in the public

[2:41] staff or on the commission wish to make

[2:43] a alteration, correction, elaboration or

[2:47] other change to the minutes of the

[2:50] February 18th meeting as published?

[2:58] There being no call for changes, uh the

[3:02] chair would entertain a motion to

[3:05] approve those minutes.

[3:08] motion.

[3:11] » I second the motion.

[3:16] » Chair Weaver.

[3:17] >> Yes.

[3:18] >> Vice Chair Gar.

[3:19] >> Yes.

[3:19] >> Commissioner Evans.

[3:21] >> Think I should abstain since I wasn't

[3:23] here.

[3:24] >> Commissioner Gonerka.

[3:25] >> He learns fast. Yes.

[3:27] >> And Commissioner Tober.

[3:28] >> Yes.

[3:40] We will now move on to the main excuse

[3:43] me uh the main item on tonight's agenda

[3:46] which is a application for a variance

[3:50] for a new detached garage at 1583

[3:54] Kinyatta Lane and I believe that the

[3:56] staff presenter on this is KGO.

[4:00] So, KGO, please go ahead and uh start us

[4:04] off.

[4:07] >> Hello and thank you. I will be

[4:09] introducing the project at 1583 Kinyata

[4:12] Lane for planning commission review. For

[4:14] this review, uh the applicant requests

[4:16] approval of a variance to the setback

[4:19] requirements for the construction of a

[4:21] new detached garage that would encroach

[4:24] into the front required front setback.

[4:26] And this application is categorically

[4:28] exempt under the California

[4:29] Environmental Quality Act SQA guidelines

[4:32] 1533

[4:34] uh new construction of small structures

[4:37] including garages. And as the planning

[4:39] director has mentioned earlier, uh there

[4:41] are no desk items at this time.

[4:48] And to give a quick summary on the

[4:50] property, the property size is 0.88 88

[4:53] acres and is in the suburban residential

[4:56] uh SR zoning district which has basic

[4:59] setbacks of 50 ft from the front uh

[5:02] property line, 25 ft from the rear and

[5:04] 20 ft from the sides of the property

[5:06] line. The overall site is relatively

[5:09] flat on the southwestern portion uh

[5:12] inclining through the center and

[5:14] northeastern portions. The elevation

[5:17] ranges from 148 ft on the southern side

[5:20] to approximately 185 ft on the northern

[5:23] side. The site contains an existing

[5:26] one-story single family residents and

[5:29] existing heartscape that are located on

[5:31] the relatively flat uh southwestern

[5:33] portion of the site. And as mentioned in

[5:37] the staff report, uh the project site

[5:39] includes an easement for a public

[5:41] rideway at the southern side. And this

[5:44] determination was made by the town's

[5:46] engineering department. And this

[5:48] determination is important for

[5:50] determining lot size for allowable

[5:53] uh thresholds for floor area and paved

[5:56] area as well as determining uh the

[5:57] setbacks from the front.

[6:01] And as mentioned, the applicant is

[6:03] requesting approval of a variance to

[6:04] locate the detached garage uh within the

[6:07] front setback. Um, as explained earlier,

[6:10] the 30 foot half width of the kinyatta

[6:13] lane uh projects into the front side of

[6:16] the project site. Uh, therefore, the

[6:18] proposed location of the garage would be

[6:20] 1 ft away from the interior boundary of

[6:23] this rideway. Uh, the proposed location

[6:26] of the garage would require the removal

[6:28] of three trees in its vicinity. Uh, the

[6:31] proposed garage would be designed in the

[6:34] same style as the existing main

[6:36] residence. And as you can see on the uh

[6:38] physical materials board on your left

[6:40] hand side uh shows uh the materials uh

[6:44] for the proposed garage

[6:47] uh including uh identical exterior

[6:49] materials such as brick uh black asphalt

[6:52] roof finishes and gray stained wood

[6:54] siding color.

[6:58] Here are the elevations for the proposed

[7:00] garage.

[7:02] Here

[7:05] is the existing uh vantage points uh

[7:08] from the adjacent kinata lane and from

[7:11] the private road.

[7:16] Lastly, staff recommends that the

[7:17] planning commission adopt the draft

[7:20] resolution in attachment one uh making

[7:22] the required findings to approve the

[7:24] variance. And so that concludes my

[7:27] presentation. Uh staff is happy to

[7:29] answer any questions. Uh story polls

[7:31] were installed at least 10 days before

[7:32] the hearing date and the applicant is

[7:34] also here in attendance to answer any

[7:36] questions. Thank you.

[7:40] » Do any members of the commission have

[7:42] questions for staff?

[7:45] >> I I do. So So that I mean it seems like

[7:47] the nature of this whole thing is based

[7:49] on the 30foot implied sort of right of

[7:52] way right from from Kenyatta from what I

[7:54] can kind of tell. So, um I mean I guess

[7:58] it seems like that's historically.

[7:59] There's

[8:01] records that are kind of there. We think

[8:04] it does exist, but the implied thing was

[8:07] a little bit weird. So, I mean, my my

[8:09] read of this whole thing is essentially

[8:11] we have a 30 foot se from the road where

[8:14] the road is. It's unlikely that would

[8:16] ever get built into the implied right of

[8:19] way. So, that that's kind of how I'm

[8:21] looking at it, but is that the right way

[8:23] to look at it? And you know,

[8:25] >> yes.

[8:26] >> How have how are cases on this street

[8:28] been looked at in the past?

[8:30] >> The so our engineering department then

[8:32] we have outside consulting surveyors who

[8:34] review all the different documents. Um

[8:36] based on what they reviewed um they

[8:39] determined that the easement is there um

[8:41] it wasn't something that was recorded on

[8:43] the property but given all the different

[8:45] documentation they have uh that it is an

[8:48] easement for a road right away. Um, you

[8:50] are correct. There is there are no plans

[8:53] to widen that road now and there

[8:56] probably wouldn't be plans to widen that

[8:58] road in any time in the near future for

[9:00] sure. Um, uh, so yeah, it is it will

[9:04] still at least for several years unless

[9:06] something drastic changes out there with

[9:08] road widening and sidewalks and things

[9:10] of that nature. Um, then it would still

[9:12] have that buffer between the roadway and

[9:14] the proposed garage. just follow. Have

[9:17] there been other other projects with

[9:20] this that we've come across before? And

[9:23] is do we have a precedent?

[9:24] >> It's it's not completely uncommon. You

[9:26] get into older, you know, when lots were

[9:28] cut up, you know, pre-1950,

[9:31] uh, you get a lot of these things coming

[9:34] up from time to time. Um, you get into

[9:36] the western hills, there's questions

[9:38] about right road right ofway widths. Um,

[9:41] I don't know if anyone was around and

[9:43] 215 Grand View was heard. that was a

[9:45] major topic of that project. Um, and so,

[9:49] uh, so it does come up from time to

[9:51] time.

[9:54] When before there was a subdivision

[9:57] ordinance, um, lots were created in

[10:00] different fashions, often just kind of

[10:03] drawing up a deed and getting it

[10:04] recorded at the county, which was a

[10:06] legal way to create a lot back then. Um,

[10:08] and sometimes it's a little bit

[10:09] difficult to find all those details.

[10:13] Am

[10:16] I correct in that the uh lot official

[10:20] lot line is actually goes over in the

[10:22] road or the entry road.

[10:24] >> Yeah. So what's what's being shown if

[10:26] you want to pull up the site plan is um

[10:28] is yes you have a 60oot right ofway and so it

[10:34] usually is 30 feet on one side and 30t

[10:36] on the other side. Um so if you zoom in

[10:38] a little bit my eyes aren't that good.

[10:41] Um the the property line that is the

[10:44] outer boundary of the 30 foot easement

[10:48] um is just right about where the

[10:50] pavement is.

[10:53] >> Okay.

[10:55] >> See

[10:55] >> the blue the blue the blue is the

[10:57] property line

[10:57] >> line right? So you know the pavement is

[11:00] just right around here and you can see

[11:02] the um the the these uh hatched areas.

[11:07] These are identifying little pockets of

[11:09] 35% slopes. So, it's kind of just

[11:11] steeping. The road uh pavement kind of

[11:14] goes right up to where that slope starts

[11:16] to go uphill

[11:16] >> down at the corner where the garage is

[11:19] supposed to be. That corner trips over

[11:21] the road.

[11:24] That correct?

[11:26] >> Um Oh. Oh, right here in the corner.

[11:28] Yes. So, again, it's a roadway easement,

[11:31] right? So, that is something that could

[11:32] exist in that location.

[11:45] Any other commissioner questions for

[11:47] staff?

[11:49] Go for it. So, it's for stage S stage,

[11:52] excuse me. Uh, can you bring up that

[11:54] picture um to the right of the driveway?

[11:58] Not not this part of the uh lot, but

[12:01] behind the drawing here, behind where it

[12:03] shows Yeah, that way. Okay.

[12:07] Um,

[12:09] so I'm wondering what what is that? It

[12:12] looks like a wall. Is that a retaining

[12:13] wall?

[12:15] >> Yeah, it's a it's a short kind of rock

[12:17] retaining wall. So, right where the

[12:19] existing driveway is, you notice it

[12:21] really slopes upward. Um, here the

[12:23] applicants are also contemplating an ADU

[12:25] in the future. Um, that would probably

[12:27] be placed in that portion of the the

[12:29] lot. So from this particular portion,

[12:31] yes, this is a kind of a short rock

[12:33] wall. Um that's

[12:36] >> So the reason I'm asking, you sort of

[12:39] answered my question. So perhaps there's

[12:42] plans for the ADU in in the future right

[12:44] at that spot. When when I visited the

[12:46] site, um I had a question, why wasn't

[12:50] the garage put on the right side instead

[12:52] of sticking into the uh setback?

[12:55] Yeah, and the applicant can also

[12:56] probably help answer that as well um in

[12:58] terms of what their thought process was.

[13:00] Uh but yes, it's partially that they do

[13:02] have future plans as well as um kind of

[13:06] uh the slope going upward um at that

[13:09] portion of site. And so they they chose

[13:11] to keep an area where they typically

[13:12] park their cars today.

[13:14] >> All right, those are my questions.

[13:23] Alex, did you have questions?

[13:26] Um, well, Richard's question prompted a

[13:28] question from me. Um,

[13:32] I believe that there was mentioned in

[13:34] the staff report that the goal is to

[13:37] create four spa is once the garage is

[13:40] done to have four spaces of off-

[13:42] streetet parking.

[13:44] Will that meet the requirements for what

[13:47] is built on the property now or will the

[13:50] construction of a future ADU require

[13:53] that um more parking be created?

[13:56] >> It depends on the design of the ADU. So,

[13:58] if it's a studio apartment, it would not

[14:00] require a parking space. If it's a

[14:02] one-bedroom or more, it requires one

[14:04] parking space. Um and that simply just

[14:06] has to be something that's in the

[14:07] driveway area.

[14:11] Yeah, the the I've seen the driveway

[14:13] driveways is uh fairly wide and probably

[14:16] accommodate a lot more than few cars to

[14:18] park there even for the ADU.

[14:20] >> That's correct.

[14:27] Um, given an absence of further

[14:29] questions for staff, the applicant or

[14:32] the applicant's representative is

[14:34] invited but not required to come and

[14:36] speak and let us know uh your thoughts

[14:40] and what you're asking for. So, um, feel

[14:44] free to come up to the mic if you wish.

[14:47] You're not required.

[14:52] Um, if you don't have a presentation,

[14:54] whoever you want to designate to come up

[14:56] and field questions,

[14:58] go on up to the mic.

[15:00] >> And you can just press that red handle

[15:02] on the mic to adjust the height.

[15:04] >> So, make yourself comfortable.

[15:06] >> Height's okay.

[15:08] >> Okay.

[15:10] Um, questions for the applicant.

[15:12] >> So, I just had one. um doesn't really

[15:14] apply to most of what was talked about,

[15:15] but the I saw a down the right side uh a

[15:20] stream bed looks like a way to sort of

[15:21] funnel water. Um is there do you guys

[15:23] ever have any water problems running off

[15:26] the road?

[15:28] >> If you could Sorry, I just we it's for

[15:30] recording and people on Zoom if you

[15:31] could speak to in the microphone.

[15:34] This is the under the water comes down

[15:36] the hill and it's met in a French drain

[15:39] and goes underneath the driveway and the

[15:42] that rock wall it uh creek bed

[15:45] dissipates the water. If you look at it

[15:47] the the t it tails off to the right. So

[15:50] if there's any water that makes it that

[15:51] far then it just trickles down. So no

[15:54] never had any flooding. The runoff that

[15:56] comes off the property

[15:58] uh is minimal. We don't have any.

[16:00] >> Do you get some off the road into your

[16:03] property?

[16:04] >> Well, the upper lot, you know, rain

[16:06] comes down over the upper lot and and

[16:09] washes down to the to my house at 1583.

[16:12] >> The then I guess this is hopefully

[16:15] you're thinking about this. The I saw

[16:17] the um it does go down and make that

[16:19] little curve. I think the curve's

[16:21] underneath the corner of where you want

[16:22] to build. Um so you may want to like

[16:25] >> Yeah, it'll have to be moved at the end

[16:27] a little bit. Yeah,

[16:28] >> my my property has all kinds of water

[16:30] issues and

[16:33] acute awareness. Thank you.

[16:35] >> Thank you.

[16:41] » Question just in in terms of choosing

[16:43] the location. Um Richard asked the

[16:46] question about looking maybe up the

[16:48] hill. Maybe just be interesting to kind

[16:50] of learn just your thought process

[16:52] around citing it where where it is. And

[16:54] then also

[16:56] I'm just interested also like with this

[16:59] uh implied easement. I I could sort of

[17:03] how you just think about the site and

[17:05] how you know folks in the neighborhood

[17:06] think about the site as far as you know

[17:08] setbacks being

[17:11] it sort of seems like if you just look

[17:12] at it you would think it's from from the

[17:14] road right um versus this easement. I'm

[17:16] just interested in all that and how you

[17:18] thought about the the sighting. Does

[17:20] that make sense?

[17:20] >> Yeah, go for it.

[17:23] Hi. Um,

[17:26] so we looked at he currently parks on

[17:30] the driveway where the where the garage

[17:32] is cited now. Um, and he uh and David is

[17:35] planning on doing an ADU. So, and not um

[17:40] doing another driveway entrance,

[17:41] basically coming up and then turning up

[17:44] into an ADU. So, that is actually in the

[17:46] works. Um, but we also didn't want to

[17:49] locate the garage too far too far from

[17:52] the house. We we did a bunch of kind of

[17:55] turning it a different, you know, kind

[17:56] of turning it. We could do a like

[17:58] exception and try to go to the to the

[18:00] side. We looked at all that. We just

[18:01] didn't have enough space between the

[18:03] existing house and the garage to turn it

[18:06] a different way. And then if you pull it

[18:10] up too far, it's then it's all you see

[18:14] outside of the existing house. the house

[18:17] um it's it's listed as being built in

[18:19] 1905. Um David actually thinks it was

[18:22] built earlier than that. So it was way

[18:25] before the town was incorporated or

[18:27] there was a zoning ordinance or you know

[18:29] so that's kind of the main hardship

[18:33] um and reason for the variance.

[18:36] Um yeah and the implied easement the

[18:40] nobody could find an actual recorded

[18:42] easement. So it's implied because the

[18:45] you know everybody kind of assumes it's

[18:47] there but nobody could actually find a

[18:49] record of it anywhere.

[18:52] >> When did likement

[18:54] come up process something that started

[18:56] playing and then where did the easement

[18:58] come from or how does that look like? We

[19:01] started looking well we have to get a

[19:03] title report for for this process and

[19:06] the title report didn't have one and

[19:07] then the survey had had an easement

[19:09] shown and that was like where so that

[19:12] started kind of the whole discussions of

[19:14] where you know and then it became

[19:15] implied and then the city had to kind of

[19:17] do a whole you know deep dive and um

[19:20] come up with a ruling on it and everyone

[19:23] kind of uses it as assumes it's an

[19:25] easement from from the city and the

[19:28] property owner side so that's why it's

[19:30] labeled complied.

[19:32] >> Thank you.

[19:39] » Alex, you have questions for the

[19:40] applicant.

[19:43] Um,

[19:46] given

[19:48] what uh, Commissioner Gar and

[19:50] Commissioner Evans have already asked, I

[19:52] have no further questions. Um

[19:55] so given that um we could open the

[20:00] public comment period

[20:03] on this issue. And so is there anyone in

[20:05] the room or online that would wish to

[20:09] speak regarding this item of considering

[20:13] a resolution to grant this variance?

[20:15] >> We still have no attendees online.

[20:19] Uh there being no public comment period

[20:22] either written via Zoom or live in the

[20:26] room, we will close the public comment

[20:29] period and move on to commissioner

[20:32] discussion and we will start with

[20:35] Commissioner Evans to welcome him. And

[20:40] » thanks uh really don't have any

[20:43] comments. I think it's a logical place

[20:45] to put it. seems like a if you're going

[20:47] to add ADU in the future, this should

[20:49] really only place to go and you want to

[20:50] have enough space in a garage to be

[20:52] useful. So, seems like a reasonable plan

[20:55] and very well thought through as well.

[21:02] Yeah, I think but also one on on on the

[21:06] points from Commissioner Evans. I mean I

[21:08] think to me also

[21:10] it's a question of how we look at the

[21:12] setbacks which is why I was asking about

[21:14] you know this

[21:16] how sure are we about the implied

[21:18] easement uh etc. And it it it feels to

[21:22] me like for all intents and purposes

[21:23] it's set back 30 ft from the road which

[21:26] I think is what the intent of the

[21:27] setbacks is intended to do in the first

[21:30] place. Um I agree also, you know, other

[21:33] sighting options don't seem as as good.

[21:37] The distance from other structures is

[21:40] large. We don't have any any neighbors

[21:42] or desk items who seem concerned with

[21:44] it. Uh so from all those reasons, I can make the findings in this case.

[21:56] » I have very little. I mean I think it's

[21:58] in the right place.

[22:00] Sorry, could you just speak into the

[22:01] microphone? Thank you.

[22:03] >> I I don't have anything else to add. I

[22:05] mean, I think it's in the right place.

[22:06] It doesn't affect other neighbors and

[22:07] it's screened from both roads.

[22:14] » So, one one comment and maybe one

[22:18] addition. Um there are three trees.

[22:21] They're mature trees to be taken down.

[22:24] Um, their canopy is nice, but their the

[22:28] canopy is fairly high, so it really

[22:30] doesn't screen anything. It wouldn't

[22:31] have screened screened anything. My

[22:33] concern is uh that the uh from the road

[22:38] there are some shrubs. There are smaller

[22:40] shrubs um not small shrubs, but you

[22:44] know, I don't know, they're 8 ft high. I

[22:46] don't quite remember. Uh I just wanted

[22:48] to stipulate that uh just to make sure

[22:51] that there is going to be screening,

[22:53] make sure that these shrubs are in good

[22:56] health and if they're if one is suspect

[22:58] or whatever, just to plant something

[23:00] else that'll be permanent since it's so

[23:03] close to the road.

[23:08] » So Richard, are you proposing that the

[23:11] draft resolution be tweaked to add that

[23:14] requirement?

[23:16] Yeah, I I see that the owners are

[23:19] nodding their head. Would be

[23:21] >> is that allowable, Sage?

[23:24] >> Sorry, what' you say?

[23:25] >> Um

[23:26] >> yeah, we could amend the the draft

[23:29] resolution. You could add a condition um

[23:31] to the project if uh to ensure that uh

[23:38] any of the existing vegetation that um

[23:40] is not within the footprint of the

[23:43] building gets retained uh to the extent

[23:45] feasible. Obviously, there will be some

[23:47] little grading around that area.

[23:50] >> Is that language acceptable to you,

[23:52] Richard, or do you want to try your own?

[23:55] >> No, no. I'm sure Sage can can articulate

[23:58] it well.

[24:01] I guess my my only comment on that would

[24:02] be

[24:04] if the intent is is the is the screening

[24:08] is maybe we put the condition talking

[24:10] about screening rather than necessarily

[24:12] the existing vegetation like if the

[24:14] existing vegetation is

[24:15] >> Oh, I I meant that you know if there's

[24:18] any lack in the existing vegetation that

[24:21] the screening uh should be inspected and

[24:25] approved.

[24:26] There there is there is a um looks like

[24:30] utility boxes on the ground.

[24:32] >> There's what

[24:33] >> some there's some utility boxes or

[24:34] something on the ground that between the

[24:36] road and where the structure would be.

[24:39] So if they may not have a whole lot of

[24:41] space to get too fancy with the shrubs

[24:43] or the vegetation.

[24:45] Um just a it's a question really if if

[24:48] you want to require stuff in there. We

[24:50] have to make sure there's space to put

[24:52] it. And what what are those things that

[24:54] are on the ground behind the in the

[24:56] corner there

[24:58] >> or the underground?

[24:59] >> They're like metal plates.

[25:01] >> Oh, uh in the road or

[25:04] >> between the road and and where your

[25:05] building would be. Yeah. Please come up

[25:06] to the microphone just so we have it for

[25:08] the record.

[25:10] >> Um those boxes, they're labeled uh

[25:13] there's two electric boxes and one looks

[25:15] like a cable TV box.

[25:17] >> Okay. I I just make sure that whatever

[25:19] we say doesn't uh make them interfere

[25:21] with those boxes.

[25:23] >> We could um if if looking for a

[25:25] condition provide a new condition onee

[25:29] um that's prior to the issuance of a

[25:30] building permit the applicant shall

[25:32] submit and then um updated plans uh

[25:36] indicating to retain the existing

[25:39] vegetation adjacent to the roadway. Um

[25:41] if the vegetation needs to be removed,

[25:44] uh it shall be replaced

[25:47] with other screening vegetation

[25:50] that

[25:53] uh there's I probably planted

[25:56] somewhere around 90 trees and shrubs on

[25:58] the big shrubs on the property. Um

[26:08] Whoops.

[26:10] Don't bail me out here. No. Uh the we're

[26:12] going to end up every shrub that comes

[26:14] out of the ground, if it's in where the footprint of the garage, it's going

[26:18] to get transplanted to other areas. So,

[26:22] I won't destroy any trees. I'll actually

[26:24] transplant everyone that comes out of

[26:26] the ground.

[26:26] >> Those two big oaks you're going to

[26:28] transplant.

[26:29] >> I'm sorry.

[26:30] >> Those two big oaks?

[26:31] >> No, they they're coming down. The one

[26:34] big oak. There's just one big oak there

[26:36] and it's pretty in poor shape as the

[26:38] artist said. It's it's dangerous. It

[26:41] could happen. So, yes.

[26:44] >> Um,

[26:45] also the the owner is interested. There

[26:48] there's an oak and a redwood that's

[26:50] right as you back out of the garage on

[26:52] the side. We've shown them as being

[26:54] removed. Um, but he, for the record, is

[26:59] going to see if he can try to keep them.

[27:01] It's just kind of a worst case scenario

[27:03] with the backup if and the cut of the

[27:05] driveway, but he would like to maintain

[27:07] them as well. I think he's also willing

[27:09] to um put more shrubs behind the the new

[27:14] garage once it's up.

[27:16] >> That that was my point. Yes.

[27:17] >> Yes. And yeah, he he wants his property

[27:20] screened as well. So, he's that would be

[27:22] a perfectly fine condition for us.

[27:26] >> Yeah. Th those utilities are probably in concrete boxes. So, you know, small

[27:32] roots from shrubs are are not going to

[27:34] interfere,

[27:35] >> right? And there's like there's room

[27:37] between the the garage and where they

[27:39] are.

[27:39] >> Yeah. And there's trees. Trees have

[27:41] large roots and I'm sure they make their

[27:43] way a lot more invasively than than just

[27:46] shrubs.

[27:48] >> So, I want to maybe make another point

[27:50] on this though, which is so we're

[27:52] talking about basically a 30-foot

[27:54] setback from the road that's all within

[27:56] a 30ft defensible space zone. So, if

[27:59] we're I don't know. I I don't

[28:02] necessarily feel comfortable

[28:04] requiring like planning that we keep

[28:06] vegetation in an area where fire may

[28:08] well say like that needs to be taken out

[28:10] anyway, right? Cuz we have a there's a

[28:12] 5ft dead zone and then beyond there

[28:14] there's like everything's actually

[28:16] supposed to be cleared up to 6 ft high.

[28:19] So, that vegetation is actually like

[28:21] non-compliant given what fire would come

[28:23] and say.

[28:24] >> That's a good point.

[28:30] Yeah, I mean I think if you have an

[28:33] applicant who is kind of committed to

[28:35] keeping the vegetation there to the

[28:37] extent feasible, it' be up to the

[28:39] planning commission they want to add a

[28:40] condition.

[28:47] Um

[28:48] >> well

[28:51] uh

[28:53] this week uh I forget the name uh the

[28:56] company but they've been putting in

[28:58] utilities right along Kinata Lane. And

[29:01] anytime a utility goes in, they don't go

[29:03] more than maybe this far off of the

[29:05] road. So there's like two or three

[29:08] layers of shrubs in between that area

[29:11] and the property line. So, and the

[29:13] shrubs I have, they grow to about 18t

[29:15] tall and uh they should they're really

[29:18] dense when they grow. And uh I think

[29:21] it'll uh look good.

[29:27] Fine. Just to leave this as is.

[29:30] I given the fact that in 2026 we're

[29:34] steering between the fire district and

[29:38] the more traditional Woodside style of

[29:43] nestling buildings and shrubbery. Um,

[29:45] I'd be inclined to leave it as is and

[29:49] uh rely on the applicant's goodwill and

[29:52] trying to work it out as best he can

[29:54] with the fire district, which I think is

[29:56] an evolving standard

[29:58] none of us understand.

[30:01] >> I would second that. That's fine. I I

[30:02] see that the uh applicants are are quite

[30:05] amendable to to screen the property in a

[30:09] proper way and uh that's that's fine

[30:12] with me.

[30:20] If we're headed towards a consensus, the

[30:23] chair would entertain motions.

[30:26] >> Make a resol or I would make a motion to

[30:29] approve the resolution as presented.

[30:36] » Chair Weaver,

[30:37] >> yes.

[30:37] >> Vice Chair Gar,

[30:38] >> yes.

[30:39] >> Commissioner Evans,

[30:40] >> Commissioner Gonerko,

[30:41] >> yes. Commissioner Tober.

[30:43] >> Yes.

[30:45] >> So approved.

[30:49] » Good luck.

[30:50] >> Enjoy your new garage.

[30:54] » And if you crack the code with dealing

[30:55] with the fire districts, they do the

[30:57] inspections. Share your experience with

[31:00] us.

[31:02] >> Y

[31:04] um Sage, do you have anything for us

[31:06] tonight?

[31:06] >> Um there's no director's report as we

[31:09] haven't finished. Well, we just wrapped

[31:11] up February. Um, so we'll have that at

[31:13] the next meeting. Um, the town is uh

[31:17] completing its housing element annual

[31:20] report that will get submitted to HCD.

[31:23] That will go before the council on March

[31:24] 10th. Um, and

[31:28] um

[31:31] and and Julie will reach out to you

[31:33] about next meeting which is uh April

[31:36] 1st. Um I believe it's also the first

[31:38] day of Passover. Um, so we're going to

[31:40] look uh to make sure we we're looking at

[31:44] um in April is when we switch the chair

[31:46] and vice chair and we may not have all

[31:48] commissioners at that first meeting. Uh

[31:51] so we'll we want to make sure all

[31:53] commissioners are available when we take

[31:55] that action. So Julia will reach out.

[31:57] We're going to look at the first if if

[31:59] we move it a week if people will be

[32:01] available or if we just focus on a

[32:03] second meeting in April. But we'll have

[32:04] that information uh probably by next

[32:06] week at the latest.

[32:07] >> Yeah. Those of us that have school age

[32:09] children, that's there's usually a

[32:11] spring break either first or second

[32:13] week. And

[32:13] >> there is in the San Francisco district

[32:15] is spring break that week.

[32:17] >> Yeah, our the Woodside spring break is

[32:18] the following week. So the first week

[32:20] should be here.

[32:21] >> Okay. So that's that's also good to know

[32:23] for us as well if we're looking to

[32:24] reschedule because that may come.

[32:25] >> Julie will reach out and get a poll

[32:27] going and

[32:29] >> six to 10.

[32:30] >> Yep.

[32:31] >> Actually, I was not here at the last one

[32:32] because of the last break.

[32:34] >> Might be good.

[32:36] >> Right. So that's it. I have nothing

[32:38] further to add.

[32:39] >> Just brief question with with some of

[32:40] the recent personnel changes. Are there

[32:42] any does is there any changes to

[32:44] existing business like things that have

[32:46] gotten pushed, rescheduled, etc.

[32:48] >> Um the council schedules are just being

[32:50] set up and looking at you know what can

[32:53] uh on each agenda but um but otherwise

[32:56] notes business as usual.

[32:57] >> No no changes to housing element, things

[32:58] that were interrupted etc. No, no.

[33:01] Everything there is just on track and

[33:03] the that report um should be released by

[33:06] tomorrow if not the latest Friday in

[33:08] terms of the report going to the council

[33:10] on uh March 10th um for the housing

[33:12] element report. Uh so that that will be

[33:15] on we do uh we have to submit to HCD by

[33:18] April 1st of each year. And so there's

[33:21] the general plan report card uh which

[33:23] goes through all the elements, but the

[33:25] housing element is a separate one uh

[33:27] given that that has much more detailed

[33:28] information and a different format

[33:31] that's required by HCD. Um so if you're

[33:34] interested, that report will be

[33:35] available by the end of this week. Okay.

[33:37] >> And it it has the it's a it's a a series

[33:40] of Excel sheets, a few of which don't

[33:43] apply necessarily to Woodside. Um, so

[33:45] you'll see those will be blank, but the

[33:47] primary ones list all the permits issued

[33:49] identified by address. Um, and it it

[33:52] outlines the number and income levels.

[33:57] » Sage, got a question for you. The uh the

[34:01] work uh the road work and I guess the

[34:04] utility work on High Street, does that

[34:06] have anything to do with the multi- uh

[34:09] >> uh No, not at all. Um, so I'm not I they

[34:13] I know the public works director is much

[34:15] more familiar with it. Um, but that is

[34:17] not any direct relation to uh the that

[34:20] site on High Street.

[34:22] >> I wrote.

[34:27] » All right. Given that we will close

[34:30] tonight's meeting. Thank you very much

[34:31] everyone.

Planning Commission Regular Meeting - March 4, 2026

Transcript