The Burlingame Planning Commission reviewed plans on Monday, July 13 to demolish a 1926 cottage at 1454 Balboa Avenue and build a 3,254-square-foot, two-story single-family home in its place. City planning staff recommended approval.

The application, filed as Project No. DSR-26-0014, covers a 7,001-square-foot lot in the Easton Addition neighborhood zoned R-1, Low Density Residential. The project includes a detached garage. Designer James Chu of Chu Design & Associates, Inc. submitted the plans on behalf of the property owner, 1454 Balboa LLC.

The proposed home would be roughly 2.5 times the size of the existing 1,290-square-foot, two-bedroom house on the site. That home sold on February 3 for $2,275,000, according to MLS records.

Associate Planner Brittany Xiao presented the staff report at the hearing, held at 7:00 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall, 501 Primrose Road. According to the agenda, staff recommended the commission approve the Major Design Review as conditioned.

The city determined the project is categorically exempt from California Environmental Quality Act review under Section 15303(a), which covers construction of new single-family homes in residential zones.

The city has not yet posted minutes or a vote result from the July 13 hearing.

Appeal window

Under city rules, any commission approval is appealable to the City Council within 10 days. For this project, the deadline would be 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 23. Appeals must be filed in writing with the City Clerk and accompanied by the applicable fees. If no appeal is filed and the council does not call the matter up for review by that deadline, the commission's action becomes final.

Residents who want to comment on future Planning Commission items can attend meetings at 501 Primrose Road or email [email protected] by 4:00 p.m. on the day of a hearing. The commission meets on the second and fourth Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m.