Saratoga News
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Ho, Malladi get planning approval for new homes, but it took awhile
By Jason Sweeney
Designing a new home in Saratoga can be a long process. Permits must be filed, ordinances must be followed and fees must be paid. Then the applicant must get past the planning commission, not to mention the neighbor angry that the new home will block his view of the hillsides, or the neighbor unhappy that a window will look down into her back yard.Two years after property owners Priscilla and Jeffrey Ho began the process of designing and then redesigning their home at 14289 Sobey Road, the planning commission voted to let them move forward with their plans. The same went for Srinivasa Malladi, who also spent two years working to get his plans past the planning commission. Both the applicants were given the go-ahead to start work on their new homes at a regular meeting of the commission on April 12.
The Hos had first gone before the planning commission in May 2004 with a request to construct a two-story single family residence with an attached garage and basement on their property. The planning commission had concerns regarding the design and the integration of the structure into the hillside and surrounding neighborhood. The couple was sent back to the drawing board with instructions to return before the commission at a later date.
With a new architect and a new design, they pleaded their case once again, this time with more success. John Heringer, a neighbor of their property who had previously expressed concerns about the plans, was happy with the redesign. On April 12, Heringer told the commission the changes were a tremendous improvement.
To satisfy the commission, one aspect of the redesign was to shift the building pad for their home off the top slope of a hillside and 25 feet closer to Sobey Road.
"We did lose some of the view which we bought the house for," Priscilla Ho said before the commission.
Commissioner Jill Hunter still had concerns about the proposed carport but said if neighbors were OK with it, so was she.
"I live in the neighborhood," Commissioner Susie Nagpal said. "It's a wonderful neighborhood, and I think it's going to be a great addition."
Neighbors of Malladi's property were concerned about a loss of view caused by his home designs. Malladi had begun his design process with the city in March 2004, seeking approval to demolish a one-story single-family residence at 14345 Springer Ave. and replace it with a two-story single-family residence with a basement and an attached garage.
The planning commission asked Malladi to address concerns with the size and bulk of his design and neighbor's concerns about losing the view of a hillside from the kitchen and family room. Like the Hos, Malladi was directed to return to the commission with a redesign at a later date.
Malladi's redesign entailed shifting the building pad location, changing proposed arched windows and reducing bulk issues.
"The problem with the house was that it resembled a castle," Hunter said. Also, it did not fit in with the existing neighborhood.
Commissioner Richard Kundtz said both of the designs under review at the meeting preceded his time on the commission. He was fine with them both, saying of Malladi's design, "It appeared sound in design and respectful of neighbors."
"It fits better into the neighborhood now," Hunter said.
"This was a real tough thing, trying to resolve the back yard with the neighbors' view," Malladi said. "We are looking forward to getting this approved and moving forward."
With his neighbors no longer voicing opposition to his plans, the commission gave Malladi the green light to start building.
Commissioners Mike Uhl, Manny Cappello and Michael Schallop were not present at the meeting. Both Uhl and Schallop will complete their terms on the commission April 26. Uhl will step down, while Schallop has reapplied for his seat. Nagpal will step down as chairwoman on April 26 but will remain on the commission.
