Roof plan rejected, policy changes demanded

"I don't like the overall mass of the house," said Commissioner Robert Gooyer.

Parkside is mostly one-story, ranch-style homes with low or flat roofs. The homes provide little storage and McNamara just wants room for baby cribs, beds and a seven-foot wine storage unit. He isn't planning to use it for extra bedrooms and the wine storage isn't even a big issue, said McNamara.

However, the addition would nearly double the size of his home to 3,100 square feet. The rest of the neighborhood ranges between 1,200 and 1,500 square feet, Gooyer said.

The house is primarily one story with a slightly-raised garage roof on one side and a small second-story bedroom on the other. A raised roof would allow for the two parts to be connected and allow McNamara easy access to certain utility lines throughout the house.

Of the 28 neighbors on Clipper Street, 20 signed a position in support of the addition. Some of them showed up to the meeting to support McNamara and denounce the neighborhood design guidelines.

"We're arguing over three feet of roof line. It's not that big a deal. That's what we're here to tell you," said Rick Sakuda, member of the Marina Lagoon Action Committee representing residents living near the waterway.

Sakuda and other neighbors argue the guidelines are too vague and cause confusion, leading residents to be hesitant of remodeling.

The design guidelines were created in 2000 to protect the character of each neighborhood. They're vague to allow for flexibility, planners said, but having a tall roof in McNamara neighborhood seemed to push the limits. Commissioners agreed that bending the rules for McNamara would have an adverse affect on the residential design guidelines that took years to craft.

Dana Yates can be reached by e-mail: dana@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 106. What do you think of this story? Send a letter to the editor: letters@smdailyjournal.com.