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Mr. Dolan stated that staff's recommendation at the last meeting was a difficult decision to make. He indicated that it was very close, and staff had withheld making a decision until the last minute before the staff report went out, to the frustration of both the applicant and the concerned neighbors. He pointed out that staff ultimately decided that the house was too big; it showed too bulky in front, and staff thought that people walking by the house would say that is too big. He noted that this was not staff's overwhelming conclusion; it was simply a conclusion arrived at after weighing all the issues. He added that the changes made to the design are just enough to change staffs recommendation, and staff no longer thinks that with the revised design, the house would appear overpowering from the street. Commissioner Blank inquired if staff is recommending approval with the revised changes. Mr. Dolan said yes, subject to the Conditions of Approval included in the staff report. THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS OPENED. Dave Cunningham, Applicant, thanked staff and the Commissioner for bringing his item back on the calendar this quickly and not having him wait so long. He indicated that his architect, Mr. Huff, and he met with the two Commissioners, Chair Narum and Commissioner Pearce, who were concerned with the massing, and they put significant time and thought into the modifications. He displayed the old second-floor plans to show what was removed, eliminating about 40 percent of the front balcony which increased the distance between the second floor and the house on Second Street from 39 feet to 49 feet; reducing the roofline over the master bedroom which reduced the height from 24 feet 6 inches to 23 feet; and moving the plane of the roof over two feet farther away from the house on Second Street, dropping it down by two feet and moving it over by two feet farther behind the palm tree which shields the house from the street. He displayed the rest of the plans and briefly explained how it visually retreats the house nicely from the street, with a loft above the first-floor living room downstairs with an average height of six feet and would not qualify for habitable square footage because its height is less than seven feet. Commissioner Blank thanked Mr. Cunningham for leaving story poles up as long as they did. Debbie Ayres stated that her backyard and that of the proposed home are adjacent to each other. She indicated that the first proposal had a balcony and a window looking into her backyard and bedroom, which were removed, and the master bedroom and bathroom had a high window for light to get into the bedroom. She noted that the revised plans now show a study/loft with windows looking into her backyard and into her bedroom area. She stated that she opposed the project because of the size of the building as well as the windows that look into her yard. She expressed concern that the window on the west side of the house looks right into the window of the rental home, and with only about ten feet between the two houses, there could be privacy issues in the future. EXCERPT: PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, November 30, 2011 Page 2 of 6