The Planning Commission on June 15 unanimously approved a permit for a covered roof access structure in Surfside.
A letter to the Seal Beach Planning Commission dated June 5 from Surfside Colony, Ltd., said the colony’s Architectural Review Board reviewed the plans and issued conditional approval.
“There should be no deviation of any type from these plans without the express approval of the Surfside Colony Architectural Board,” said the letter, which was signed by Dru Roland of the Architectural Review Board.
The issue of ARB approval was raised during the public hearing. Staff at that time provided a copy of the letter to the commissioners.
Staff provided the Sun with a copy of the letter.
Background
Planners first heard this request on June 2. According to the staff report for the June 15 meeting, a resident asked that the structure be downsized and approved by the Surfside Architectural Review Committee. Planners continued the June 2 public hearing until the June 15 meeting.
According to the staff report by Assistant Planner Samuel Funes, the city received revised plans on June 5 that changed the structure to 19 feet long, and 4 feet 8 inches wide.
“The architect, Max Nguyen, on behalf of the property owners, Anthony and Mai Nguyen (‘the applicant’) proposes to demolish the existing two-story single-family residence and reconstruct a three-story, single-family residence with an attached accessory dwelling unit. The property is in the Residential Low Density (RLD-9) zone on a 1,547-square-foot parcel located on the north side of Surfside Avenue within Surfside Colony, a gated private residential community,” Funes wrote.
“As part of the project, the applicant is proposing the covered roof access structure to exceed the maximum roof height by 4 feet 6 inches,” Funes wrote.
“The covered roof access structure is kept to a minimum size per code requirements and measures approximately 95 square feet. The covered roof access structure will include a covered stairwell area. The roof access structure is constructed along the east peripheral wall of the rooftop area and will include architectural features consistent with the design of the residence,” Funes wrote.
According to the Funes report, the Municipal Code allows structures to exceed the height limit up to 7 feet, subject to a minor use permit.
“The height maximum for structures within Surfside Colony is 35 feet. The maximum height elevation of the proposed covered roof access structure is 4 feet 6 inches above the 35-foot height limit, a total of 2 feet 6 inches below the 7-foot maximum height increase. The total building height will be 39 feet 6 inches at the peak of the structure. With exception to the covered roof access structure, the building height is 35 feet. The Surfside Colony Architectural Review Board has reviewed and approved the addition and remodel,” Funes wrote.
“The covered stairwell will be comprised of materials consistent with the proposed new structure. The roofcovered access structure is located along a peripheral exterior wall of the structure as required. The structure occupies a minimal proportion of the roof deck. Furthermore, the proposed structure is consistent with the character and integrity of the neighborhood as the surrounding area has numerous existing covered roof access structures that also obtained Minor Use Permit approvals to exceed the 35-foot height maximum,” Funes wrote.
