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The Berkeley Zoning Adjustments Board (ZAB) set the appeal of an application for an administrative use permit for 933 Keeler Ave. for public hearing at the board meeting Thursday. 

Applicant Ken Winfield was denied a permit for construction of a second story atop an existing one-story detached garage, 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. 

The zoning officer denied the permit because: 

• The project was inconsistent with the existing pattern of development in the neighborhood; 

• The height of the proposed building exceeded the development standards for an accessory building and would shadow an adjacent neighbor; 

• The conditions necessary to exceed the height and story limit in the Hillside Overlay District were not present. 

The site—which is located at the corner of Keeler Avenue and Forest Lane, one block west of Grizzly Peak and one block south of Marin—is situated in a neighborhood that mostly consists of single-family homes ranging from one to three stories. 

According to the staff report, “garages and accessory buildings within required yard setbacks are not uncommon. However, there is not a pattern of two-story accessory buildings within the required front yard setback in the neighborhood.” 

According to Winfield’s appeal: 

• There is a pattern of two-story accessory buildings within required setbacks and fronting the public right of way in the neighborhood 

• The development would not in-crease shadowing to the adjacent neighbor due to existing trees 

• The subject property meets the conditions necessary to support an exception to exceed height and stories outlined in the purposes of the Hillside Overlay District 

The board continued an appeal for a permit to allow construction at a single-family residential building at 2008 Virginia St. to May 24. 

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

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

On Jan. 25, ZAB board members had asked the applicant to put up story poles at the site of the building so that the ZAB and neighbors could get a better visual representation of the project. Staff reported that during this process the applicant had modified the proposed project in a way that could satisfy the appellant’s concerns. 

The applicant and the appellants are in the process of discussing modifications to the original project design. 

The board approved a request for a use permit from Jeff Stein of Berkeley to construct a second-story addition to an existing single-family dwelling unit at 1625 Berkeley Way that would be non-conforming in lot coverage and west (left) side yard setback.  

Some neighbors were concerned about the additional story, which they said would block sunlight and air and invade their privacy. 

The board also approved 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.