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Finding: The project fails to comply with mandatory setback requirements and does not <br />qualify for any exception or administrative deviation. <br />Lack of Justifiable Hardship for Variance <br /> <br />Under California Government Code §65906 and PMC §18.120.020, a variance may be <br />granted only when strict application of zoning regulations would deprive a property of <br />privileges enjoyed by others due to unique physical conditions. No such physical hardship <br />has been demonstrated. The desire for brighter or taller private tennis-court lighting is a <br />personal preference, not a condition arising from the land itself. <br /> <br />Finding: The applicant has failed to demonstrate any unique physical hardship, and <br />approval would constitute a special privilege inconsistent with other properties in the same <br />zoning district. The variance request does not meet the legal standards required by State <br />law or the Pleasanton Zoning Ordinance. <br />Improper Reliance on Noncomparable Precedent <br /> <br />The applicant cited two properties on Trenery Drive as precedent. However: <br />• Both were developed while in unincorporated Alameda County, prior to City annexation, <br />and thus were not subject to Pleasanton’s zoning standards. <br />• Those courts maintain significant setbacks that minimize off-site impacts. <br />• The subject property’s court encroaches into the required side-yard setback, and adding <br />15-foot poles would exacerbate an existing nonconformity. <br /> <br />Finding: The Trenery Drive examples do not constitute valid precedents under City <br />jurisdiction. Granting this request would create inconsistent and inequitable application of <br />City standards and undermine Pleasanton’s commitment to residential compatibility and <br />responsible lighting design. <br />Adverse Impacts on Adjacent Properties <br /> <br />High-intensity, 1,000-watt LED lighting produces significant glare and spill, even when <br />marketed as “fully shielded.” Light at this height and output level will intrude into <br />neighboring yards and windows, violating PMC §18.40.010 (Nuisance and Performance <br />Standards). Under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), glare and night-lighting <br />constitute potential environmental impacts, especially in residential areas. Residents have a <br />reasonable expectation of nighttime privacy and darkness, both of which would be <br />materially diminished. <br /> <br />Finding: Even with shielding, fixtures of this wattage and elevation would produce <br />measurable glare and light trespass, adversely affecting adjacent homes and degrading <br />neighborhood character.