New Building Approved for Georgee’s Pizza Site

The La Cañada Flintridge Planning Commission Tuesday approved a substandard rear yard setback for a proposed new commercial building at 720 Foothill Boulevard.

The property, owned by George Jacobs, currently houses Georgee’s Pizza. The new building, intended for retail uses, will total 5,364 square feet, and includes both surface and underground parking.

The project still requires design commission approval of final building elevations and issuance of building permits. It is located in the Village Center area of the LCF Downtown Specific Plan.

The project has a 15-foot rear setback, but an alley to the south provides an additional five feet to effectively meet the code standards.

Commissioner Charles Gelhaar suggested the owner consider adding second-floor housing, a goal of the downtown plan.

Architect Pete Volbeda said the project was originally submitted with a second floor for offices, but the city found it to be too large for the property. Jacobs declined to consider a housing element.

In other business, the commission postponed to a future date a multiple request from owner C. Anders Troedsson to construct a new two-story house at 5156 Oakwood Ave.

The staff report recommended approval of all parts of the request except for a modification for a front yard setback from 25 to 20 feet, but neighbors expressed concern about the project.

One issue was the size of the project, 5,566 square feet, including an 800-square-foot basement. The project is larger than some surrounding properties, though the developer said it is just the fifth largest in the neighborhood.

Another issue was the fact the project was originally filed as a non-hillside lot, and later found to have a 26 percent slope, and to be subject to hillside ordinance review.

Major concerns were also expressed about the proximity of the project to the Gould Trail, and its close distance from smaller homes on Gould Avenue. Neighbors also complained about a previous project built by the developer, saying construction occurred on weekend days and trucks blocked local parking.

Troedssen said the construction issues on the other project may have been caused by a subcontractor. He said he always informs contractors about the rules in La Cañada. The developer said the home is 20 feet away from the trail and other nearby homes are closer.

The developer also said he is in the process of purchasing additional land from flood control, to reduce the density of the project on the lot.

The commissioners decided to postpone the vote to allow time for the developer to talk to neighbors, consider reducing the size of the project, and submit a landscape plan and grading plan.

In other actions, the commission approved a request to allow a swimming pool and spa in the front yard of a home at 1234 Pequeña Lane, west of La Cañada Boulevard.

A request for a second floor addition to a home on Meadowview Drive was also approved. The addition will bring the total floor area up to 5,369 square feet.

The commission approved a time extension for a hillside development on Hampstead Road, giving the owner 12 additional months to build a new split-level home.

Community Development Director Robert Stanley said the commission may need to consider a 24-month window for complicated projects, to allow more time for county review.

A request for a hillside development permit for a two-story home on Gould Avenue was postponed to a future date at the request of applicant Jay Johnson.

The commission appointed members Gelhaar and Jim Hill to the new General Plan Advisory Committee, after discussion of the committee’s duties and time requirements.