1. HSB-24-001 311 PENDLETON LN. The applicant, Starr Haymes Kempin for Pendleton Lane Trust has filed an application requesting a Certificate of Appropriateness review and approval for a modified front entry, addition of shutters, relocation of a few windows in addition to hardscape modifications changing the driveway and reducing the paver pool deck to an existing two-story historically significant building.
Received via email 1.18.24:
Re: Objection to Application for Certificate of Appropriateness- Front Landscape, Drive & Pool Deck ("Application") for 311 Pendleton Lane ("Property") HSB-24-001
Dear Ms. Patterson and Landmarks Preservation Commissioners:
Our office represents Charles and Alison Sieving who reside at 333 Pendleton Lane, as well as Kit Pannill, Christian and Ann-Brit Angle, Bob Vila and Diana Barrett, and John and Sheila Rinker, all of whom live or have residences on Pendleton Lane and almost all of whom have done so for decades (collectively, "Neighbors"). In that capacity, we have reviewed the most recent submissions by Starr Haymes Kempin for Pendleton Lane Trust ("Applicant"), the owner of the Property. While the Neighbors welcome the Applicant to the neighborhood, they are very concerned by (and therefore object to) the massive proposed circular driveway.
Pendleton Lane is a one block long eight home private street, with substantially all of the homes designed by John Volk. The Lane maintains that historic aesthetic today. Pendleton Lane, and particularly its north side, consists of small lots that simply do not lend themselves to "double entry" driveways having two "curb cuts" of the type proposed by the Applicant. The homes are not set back very far from the road and, to soften that, have green space in the front yard, a walkway to the front door, and a single in-and-out driveway on the side of each house. There are no circular driveways on either side of Pendleton Lane, including on the Property.
The Applicant's request would interrupt this pattern by reducing the natural green space, in the form of the removal of multiple hedges and turf and replacing them with pavers and a gravel driveway. In doing so, the Property will go from being visually compatible with its neighbors to standing out as a visual outlier as one of the smallest lots yet having the largest driveway. In essence, the green space would be replaced largely with a parking lot between the lane and the residence. With two curb cuts instead of one, hedges can only mask a portion of the greatly expanded parking/driveway area. This would leave the surrounding property owners with an inescapably expanded view of parking rather than the existing landscaping or greenery. Such a change would not only have a negative impact on the existing charm of the Lane, but also would create a dangerous precedent for future requests that would be hard to stop if the Application is approved. This would seriously damage the historical aesthetic legacy of this unique John Volk enclave.
Another overlooked issue is that granting the Application would reduce the three parking spaces shown on the survey and Existing Site Plan to two parking spaces. This portion of this small lane already can be a pinch point and adding more curb breaks would only result in the jockeying of more maintenance vehicles and the like for street parking. It would be a challenge for larger maintenance vehicles to navigate into and out of the small, curving entries as proposed, so the notion that the proposed circular driveway would add meaningful on-property parking is not realistic.
Finally, from a legal standpoint, the proposed driveway would violate Section 53- 122 of the Town Code subsections (c), (d) and (e) which provide for landscape plans to be visually compatible with the buildings and environment that are visually related, having a street fa9ade that does not visually blend with other buildings, and architectural details that should be incorporated as necessary to relate the new with the old and to preserve and enhance the inherent characteristics of the area. The proposed driveway would not be visually compatible and would not blend in with the other houses to preserve the existing characteristics of the Lane. The Neighbors believe it is important that any changes to the Property be entirely consistent with the historical aesthetic of the Lane as a whole and that a circular driveway would very much disrupt that.
As a result, the Neighbors strongly believe that approval of the Application would have a negative impact on the neighborhood now and in the future. As such, and with reserving all rights to object to other proposed modifications to the Property, they would request that the proposed modification of driveway layout be denied.
Very truly yours,
John R. Eubanks, Jr.
Public Comment, Town of Palm Beach Admin
admin
over 1 year ago
Received via email 1.14.24:
My name is Alison Sieving and our address is 333 Pendleton Lane, Palm Beach.
On Wednesday of this week, our new neighbor at 311 Pendleton Lane has a proposed circular driveway up for review by Landmarks. I and my husband Charles Sieving are strongly opposed to this change. There are no other circular driveways in our historic block of almost entirely John Volk designed homes. The north side of Pendleton Lane has small lots that simply do not lend themselves to these types of “double entry” driveways. The homes are not set back very far from the private road that we all own in front of our homes. We feel it would not be in keeping to allow such a driveway that removes so much of the natural green space in the front of the home, and will set a terrible precedent, while adversely effecting the look and feel of this special street.
In the 15 years that we have lived in Palm Beach and on Pendleton Lane, this is the first time we have opposed anything.
Thank you for your consideration on this matter. Please let us know if you wish to discuss this concern over the phone. We are happy to set up a time to talk.
Kind Regards,
Alison & Charles Sieving
333 Pendleton Lane
Palm Beach, FL 33480
Received via email 1.15.24:
Dear Kelly,
I live at 4 South Lake Trail at the end of Pendleton Lane. My name is Alice(Kit) Pannill. My new neighbor who is going to live in 311 Pendleton Lane is proposing a circular driveway in front of his home. This is not appropriate for our street. Please direct me to the person to which I address this issue.
Thank you
Sincerely,
Kit Pannill
Alice (Kit) Pannill
4 South Lake Trail
Palm Beach, FL 33480
Received via email 1.18.24:
Re: Objection to Application for Certificate of Appropriateness- Front Landscape, Drive & Pool Deck ("Application") for 311 Pendleton Lane ("Property") HSB-24-001
Dear Ms. Patterson and Landmarks Preservation Commissioners:
Our office represents Charles and Alison Sieving who reside at 333 Pendleton Lane, as well as Kit Pannill, Christian and Ann-Brit Angle, Bob Vila and Diana Barrett, and John and Sheila Rinker, all of whom live or have residences on Pendleton Lane and almost all of whom have done so for decades (collectively, "Neighbors"). In that capacity, we have reviewed the most recent submissions by Starr Haymes Kempin for Pendleton Lane Trust ("Applicant"), the owner of the Property. While the Neighbors welcome the Applicant to the neighborhood, they are very concerned by (and therefore object to) the massive proposed circular driveway.
Pendleton Lane is a one block long eight home private street, with substantially all of the homes designed by John Volk. The Lane maintains that historic aesthetic today. Pendleton Lane, and particularly its north side, consists of small lots that simply do not lend themselves to "double entry" driveways having two "curb cuts" of the type proposed by the Applicant. The homes are not set back very far from the road and, to soften that, have green space in the front yard, a walkway to the front door, and a single in-and-out driveway on the side of each house. There are no circular driveways on either side of Pendleton Lane, including on the Property.
The Applicant's request would interrupt this pattern by reducing the natural green space, in the form of the removal of multiple hedges and turf and replacing them with pavers and a gravel driveway. In doing so, the Property will go from being visually compatible with its neighbors to standing out as a visual outlier as one of the smallest lots yet having the largest driveway. In essence, the green space would be replaced largely with a parking lot between the lane and the residence. With two curb cuts instead of one, hedges can only mask a portion of the greatly expanded parking/driveway area. This would leave the surrounding property owners with an inescapably expanded view of parking rather than the existing landscaping or greenery. Such a change would not only have a negative impact on the existing charm of the Lane, but also would create a dangerous precedent for future requests that would be hard to stop if the Application is approved. This would seriously damage the historical aesthetic legacy of this unique John Volk enclave.
Another overlooked issue is that granting the Application would reduce the three parking spaces shown on the survey and Existing Site Plan to two parking spaces. This portion of this small lane already can be a pinch point and adding more curb breaks would only result in the jockeying of more maintenance vehicles and the like for street parking. It would be a challenge for larger maintenance vehicles to navigate into and out of the small, curving entries as proposed, so the notion that the proposed circular driveway would add meaningful on-property parking is not realistic.
Finally, from a legal standpoint, the proposed driveway would violate Section 53- 122 of the Town Code subsections (c), (d) and (e) which provide for landscape plans to be visually compatible with the buildings and environment that are visually related, having a street fa9ade that does not visually blend with other buildings, and architectural details that should be incorporated as necessary to relate the new with the old and to preserve and enhance the inherent characteristics of the area. The proposed driveway would not be visually compatible and would not blend in with the other houses to preserve the existing characteristics of the Lane. The Neighbors believe it is important that any changes to the Property be entirely consistent with the historical aesthetic of the Lane as a whole and that a circular driveway would very much disrupt that.
As a result, the Neighbors strongly believe that approval of the Application would have a negative impact on the neighborhood now and in the future. As such, and with reserving all rights to object to other proposed modifications to the Property, they would request that the proposed modification of driveway layout be denied.
Very truly yours,
John R. Eubanks, Jr.
Received via email 1.14.24:
My name is Alison Sieving and our address is 333 Pendleton Lane, Palm Beach.
On Wednesday of this week, our new neighbor at 311 Pendleton Lane has a proposed circular driveway up for review by Landmarks. I and my husband Charles Sieving are strongly opposed to this change. There are no other circular driveways in our historic block of almost entirely John Volk designed homes. The north side of Pendleton Lane has small lots that simply do not lend themselves to these types of “double entry” driveways. The homes are not set back very far from the private road that we all own in front of our homes. We feel it would not be in keeping to allow such a driveway that removes so much of the natural green space in the front of the home, and will set a terrible precedent, while adversely effecting the look and feel of this special street.
In the 15 years that we have lived in Palm Beach and on Pendleton Lane, this is the first time we have opposed anything.
Thank you for your consideration on this matter. Please let us know if you wish to discuss this concern over the phone. We are happy to set up a time to talk.
Kind Regards,
Alison & Charles Sieving
333 Pendleton Lane
Palm Beach, FL 33480
Received via email 1.15.24:
Dear Kelly,
I live at 4 South Lake Trail at the end of Pendleton Lane. My name is Alice(Kit) Pannill. My new neighbor who is going to live in 311 Pendleton Lane is proposing a circular driveway in front of his home. This is not appropriate for our street. Please direct me to the person to which I address this issue.
Thank you
Sincerely,
Kit Pannill
Alice (Kit) Pannill
4 South Lake Trail
Palm Beach, FL 33480