THOUSAND OAKS : Planners Uphold Home Addition

The Thousand Oaks Planning Commission has refused to overturn a previous decision allowing a Newbury Park homeowner to add a second story to his house, despite protests from residents of a neighboring housing tract where two-story houses are not allowed.

The commission voted unanimously Monday against reversing its February approval of a plan by Ken Cleary to build a second-story master bedroom on his home on the 2100 block of Palos Court.

However, commissioners conceded to concerns by Cleary’s neighbors over their privacy by requiring Cleary not to build a previously approved balcony and to move the new room’s windows.

The commission reconsidered the Cleary building proposal in response to an appeal filed by Steven and Denise Sanders of Mapleleaf Court, whose back yard is diagonally across from Cleary’s back yard.

“We are concerned with privacy and visual intrusion and the detrimental effect on the value of our properties,” Steven Sanders told the commission.

In addition, Sanders and several of his neighbors said that city zoning doesn’t allow two-story homes in their housing tract, called Lynn Crest Estates.

But commissioners pointed out to Sanders and the other residents that two-story houses are allowed on Cleary’s block, which is not part of the Lynn Crest development.