Millbrae planning panel approves 170 La Prenda addition with conditions for landscaping and wildfire safety

The Millbrae Planning Commission on May 4 unanimously approved a design review permit, a conditional use permit for a revised roof line and exception requests to retain existing nonconforming setbacks and an undersized garage at 170 La Prenda.

Assistant Planner Kaylee Cho summarized the revised project as a 1,125-square-foot first-floor addition to an existing 1,469-square-foot single-story home in the R-1 zone, with proposed changes limited to rear additions and an exterior remodel. Cho told the commission staff recommended approval with conditions, including submission and staff review of full landscaping and irrigation plans prior to issuance of a building permit and confirmation of compliance with Wildland-Urban Interface and Central County Fire Department (CCFD) requirements for the very-high fire hazard severity zone.

The project maintains a nonconforming front setback of 17 feet 11 inches where the code requires 20 feet, and a right-side setback of 4 feet 1 inch where 5 feet is required. Cho said the proposed roof would extend existing nonconformities without intensifying their degree and therefore required a conditional use permit and exception requests to maintain existing nonconforming walls and an undersized garage that measures roughly 16 feet 6 inches by 19 feet 8 inches.

During questioning, commissioners sought detail on materials, drainage and wildfire-resilient landscaping. Cho confirmed she had the material palette available and said the plan shows the required 1,001 square feet of open space within the rear one-third of the lot. When asked about grading and runoff because a proposed pad appeared lower than the street, Cho deferred to the applicant for detailed drainage design, noting that such engineering will be developed during the building-permit phase.

Richie, representing Alexander, told the commission the project is still at the planning phase and described two likely drainage approaches: routing runoff to the rear yard or, if that proves infeasible, installing a pump to move water to La Prenda Street. "This will be something that we will detail in the building permit phase," Richie said.

On wildfire risk and landscape choices, a commissioner noted the property sits in a Wildland-Urban Interface and encouraged defensible-space plantings. Cho pointed to condition of approval numbers 31/32, saying the final landscaping and plant selections must comply with CCFD guidance and that compliance would be checked at the building-permit review. The applicant acknowledged they had not fully incorporated WUI-specific plant selections in the preliminary landscape plan and said they would address those requirements in the next design step.

Commissioners also heard that applicant outreach included eight adjacent-owner consultation forms and that the applicant had hand-delivered a form to one neighbor who did not return it but had exchanged verbal discussion and did not anticipate concerns.

After discussion and with staff conditions to ensure compliance with landscaping and fire-safety rules, Commissioner Chan moved to approve the design review permit, conditional use permit and exception requests for 170 La Prenda. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously, 5-0. Chair Davis noted the action is final pending a 10-day appeal period and payment of any required appeal fee and provided city clerk contact information for appeals.

The commission’s approval is conditioned on the submission and approval of detailed landscaping and irrigation plans and verification of compliance with WUI and CCFD requirements at the building-permit stage. Drainage details, plant species and final materials will be resolved as part of the building permit and final plan review.