As most of you know, the Barron Park Association has had a policy in recent years to send our holiday issue to everyone in the neighborhood -- not just to the membership. The newsletter is a quarterly publication covering local items of interest to the people in the Barron Park area of Palo Alto. Although our membership includes some of whom are outside the 94306 area, and in other states in some cases, our members are mostly in the area bounded by El Camino Real, Foothill Expressway, and Arastradero to the Stanford Research Park. This does not include the Green Acres II area, which is off Arastradero near Gunn High School. We do a lot of work with the Ventura neighborhood, including help with the new Palo Alto Police Department sub-station at the old Ventura elementary school. We welcome membership from anywhere, but our bulk mailing permit requires that we charge more for those outside the 94306 zip code area. Please take this time to join if you haven't already, or to renew your membership so you receive all four issues during the coming year. The $10 membership fee just covers newsletter costs, so we depend heavily on donations for our other activities.
New Home Design Guidelines? BPA Survey Results!
One of OUR many activities this year included a very quick survey of our membership done just a few weeks ago. There is much local concern centered around a recent increase in the number of razed houses in our neighborhood. The high cost of land coupled with a new restriction on houses built before 1940 puts more pressure than ever before on neighborhoods in the south end of Palo Alto for this type of development. Replacing an old shack with a new, nicely designed house can raise values of neighboring houses, but new inappropriate houses can be... unsuitable. The survey was conducted to see what our members (as a sample test) think is proper, and what (if any) factors should "trigger" a design review. Letters accompanying the surveys that were returned to us were forwarded to the City Planning Deptartment along with the results of the survey.
The Barron Park Association Board members voted to recommend design review for residential improvements in Barron Park, and in Palo Alto in general. We were divided on just what guidelines might be put in place to trigger a review of a new or remodeled home, but agreed (by a slight margin) that there should be an incentive for people to build homes consistent with the existing neighborhood design. The incentive could be no review process at all if there was no substantial change to setbacks or home square footage. The survey was an attempt to get public opinion about what the "trigger" for design review might be. Due to the cost of mailing and the short time frame to get results returned and tabulated we chose to send the surveys to members only. A total of 339 surveys were sent and 183 of these were returned within 12 days. As surveys go, this was an excellent response (54%). The results of this survey made it much easier to present specific recommendations to the City for review criteria that could be used for the Barron Park area. We thank all of the members who participated and may consider doing this for other issues of importance in the future, based on the tremendous response.
When a remodeling job increases the house size, at what point should a design review be triggered? 25% larger? (27%) 50% larger? (48%) 75% larger? (8%) Never (17%)
When a remodeling job involves replacing external walls, at what point should a design review be triggered? Front wall changed? (30%) 50% of walls modified (43%) 75% modified (7%) Never (20%)
Which neighbors should have to be notified of plans that trigger the design review process? Those within 500 feet of the construction (87 people said yes, some were multiple answers)
Those on the same block as the construction (88 people said yes, again, some were multiple answers) No notification required - 25 people (13% of the 183 who responded checked this box)
Should the existing neighborhood pattern of setbacks from the street be preserved? (Example: if the legal minimum front setback is 20 ft., but other houses on the block are set back from 30 to 50 feet, should the replacement house be required to preserve at least 30 feet, or a greater setback?) Yes (58%) No (26%) Indifferent (16%)
Side yard setback of the new house can be the minimum set by code, normally 6 feet. Should the existing neighborhood pattern of setbacks be preserved? Yes (69%) No (18%) Indifferent (13%)
Roof lines and materials, and exteriors: should remodels and new construction be required to be compatible with neighboring houses? Yes (42%) No (42%) Indifferent (16%)
Should there be a limit on the number of very similar designs on a block? For example, see the 2 large Mediterranean style houses on Amaranta near Maybell. Yes, limit similar houses (52%) No limit for similar houses (32%) Indifferent (16%)
In established neighborhoods, landscaping may be viewed as a part of the character of that neighborhood. Should there be a review before significant changes are made to the landscaping as part of a remodel/rebuild? Yes (29%) No (57%) Indifferent (14%)
Should special permission be required from the City arborist or equivalent staff person before a heritage-sized (of a certain age, or of a certain girth), tree is removed? Yes (65%) No (28%) Indifferent (7%)
Should other types of landscaping be subject to review by the City arborist before removal? Yes (12%) No (78%) Indifferent (10%)
Should the City offer incentives for good designs? (For example, garages are required for all residential uses. Garage area counts against allowed lot coverage. If the garages are placed in the rear of the property, making the street view more attractive, should part of the garage area be excluded from lot coverage, allowing the house to be larger?) Yes (43%) No (39%) Indifferent (18%)