Features

Zoning Adjustments Board Weighs Use Permit Appeals

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Tuesday April 10, 2007

Suzanne Wilson will replace former Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB) commissioner Dave Blake at the ZAB meeting Thursday. Wilson was appointed to the position by District 1 Councilmember Linda Maio.  

Wilson is a Berkeley resident and has previously worked for Mayor Tom Bates. She is currently an attorney at the law firm Stockwell, Harris, Widom, Woolverton & Muehl in San Francisco. Blake was appointed to the Rent Board in the November 2006 elections. 

 

AUP appeals 

The board will hear the appeal of an administrative use permit (AUP) that would allow construction at a multi-family residential building at 2008 Virginia St. 

Applicant Lorin Hill had requested a AUP to construct a 1,434-square-foot addition, raising the existing structure approximately six feet to create habitable space on the ground level, and by expanding the footprint of the building, thereby creating a two-story, west-wing appendage to the building.  

Neighbors are appealing the AUP because they are concerned that the additional height will block air and light. 

ZAB board members had also asked the applicant to put up story poles at the site of the building. Planning staff recommends continuing the item to May 24.  

Appeals of AUPs are not subject to public hearing and public testimony does not take place at this time. The board either sets the matter for public hearing or affirms the zoning officer’s decision. 

The board will also hear the appeal of an AUP to construct a second story atop an existing one-story detached garage at 933 Keeler, set back five feet from the property line abutting the street and two feet from the property line to the north, with an average height of 24 feet and a maximum height of 26 feet. 

Applicant Ken Winfield was denied the AUP after which he appealed the decision to ZAB. The issue at hand is the construction of a second story on an accesory building. 

The staff recommends denying the appeal and affirming the zoning officer’s decision. 

 

New hearings 

The board will hear the request for a use permit from Chris Williams of Oakland to establish a yoga studio with incidental retail sale of yoga accessories in an existing, 800-square-foot tenant space at 3320 Adeline St. Staff recommends approval of the project. 

The board will also hear the request for a use permit from Jeff Stein of Berkeley to construct a second story addition on an existing single-family dwelling unit that is non-conforming for lot coverage and west (left) side yard setback at 1625 Berkeley Way. Staff recommends approval. 

Some neighbors are concerned about the additional story, which they say will block sunlight.