Tran told the Saratoga Planning Commission at its Nov. 23 meeting that his plans to tear down the one-story home on his property and replace it with a two-story home with a basement were within building codes. He said that he had done his best to address the concerns of his neighbors. But, in the end, the planning commission was swayed by arguments from his neighbors and voted unanimously to reject Tran's proposed design.

The commission had reviewed designs for a two-story house on Tran's lot last July. Opposition by neighbors had convinced the commission to send Tran and his designers back to the drawing board. The design presented to the commission on Nov. 23 had done nothing to placate the neighbors.

Neighbors Eric and Sherry Kraule told the commission they opposed the plan because they would lose sunlight and privacy. Neighbor Esparanza Garcia said that Tran's second-floor windows would look into her home and that the large house would block her view. For neighbor Ken Schulz, Tran's designs were the "poster child of a monster home."

"This in my opinion is an example of a monster home," Planning Commissioner Manny Cappello said. He said it wasn't the total size of the proposed house that was the problem, but that it was a large house going onto a small lot.

Planning Commissioner Linda Rodgers said that Tran should respect the "stunning views" of his neighbors. She said that the neighborhood was in transition and that she was not opposed to two-story homes per se, but that she was opposed to this particular design, stating that the design was not sensitive enough to concerns of the neighbors.

The planning commission voted on two other items that evening. After a lengthy debate, the commission voted to approve an amendment to a tentative parcel map that would allow the property owner of 13510 Quito Road to build a swimming pool. A portion of the pool encroached into a riparian corridor along San Tomas Aquino Creek. Planning department staff had concluded that the creek was not being threatened by the swimming pool. The commission agreed with the conclusion, voting 5-1 to approve the amendment to the map. Rodgers was the opposing vote. She stated that she was not comfortable with the trade-off of pool area with planting trees and shrubs in two neighboring lots.

The commission unanimously approved the modification of design plans for a home on 13095 Pierce Road. The approval allowed the owners of the property to go forward with a 600-square-foot addition to their basement, exterior changes to the home involving window placement and style, and the addition of shingle siding to the upstairs gable dormers.

Commissioner Mike Uhl was absent.