Cordilleras-Edgewood Traffic Signal
Good news! According to Brian Lee, the Engineering & Programs Division Manager of the Transportation section of the Department of Public Works, the traffic signal installation contract has been awarded, and they are waiting for the parts to be supplied. A traffic light should be in place in the Fall.

As far as the "no left turn" prohibition (from Edgewood onto Cordilleras), the Public Works department knows that it is unpopular, but has no plans to change it in any way unless the Board of Supervisors directs them otherwise. Even after the traffic light goes in, left turns will be prohibited here. If you would like to have the ability to make left turns here restored, please contact County Supervisor Richard S. Gordon, at 650-363-4569 (rgordon(at)co.sanmateo.ca.us). You can also direct your mail and calls to his legislative aide, Yiaway Yeh, 650-599-1016 (yyeh(at)co.sanmateo.ca.us).

Legal Help Wanted
As directed by homeowners at our annual meeting, we are reviewing some of our association bylaws. If you can provide pro bono legal aid to our not-for-profit organization, please contact Lee Lukehart at 650-366-5335 (or via email, at Lee.Lukehart(at)emeraldhills.org).

Speed Control Devices Update
In April the ELHA Board responded to a call for comments from the Director of Public Works, regarding a proposed procedure that would enable neighborhoods to request speed control humps and/or dips. Wanting to gather community opinion, we quickly posted the proposal to our web site and emailed an alert to our list of homeowners (we have email addresses for about 18% of the 1450 homeowners in EH). We could not U.S. mail an alert due to the cost and the two-week response window required.

We received 30 responses, which we included verbatim in our summary to the county. The responses were mostly requests for the bumps or dips at specific locations, which indicates the need definitely exists. However, the county was asking us to comment on the process of requesting speed control devices, and is not yet ready to begin accepting bump/dip requests.

Once the county approves this proposed procedure, homeowners will be able to submit a Request for Speed Control Device which would be a letter signed by 51% of the owners of one block. Next the CHP will conduct a field check, observing the speed of the traffic to see if the street warrants control.  For more detail, you may view the entire draft proposal, and our response, at emeraldhills.org.

Zoning Regulations in Emerald Hills
Emerald Hills has zoning regulations that are different than most other areas of San Mateo County. Our area gained specific regulations in 1989, which were initiated by the ELHA Board of Directors and approved by the San Mateo County Supervisors. Part of the zoning ordinance establishes Design Review for new homes:

-   Limits the size of newly created lots to a minimum of 12,000 square feet (or larger according to the slope).

-   A FAR (floor area ratio) of 30% was adopted. This applies to all structures as well as covered decks. The maximum FAR is determined by multiplying .30 x lot size. This FAR determines the maximum size of a house and structures that can be built on a lot. Existing lots that are 8,000 square feet or less may have up to 2,400 square feet of FAR.

-   Lot coverage (the footprint of all buildings and decks over 18" height) is 25% of the lot.

-   Maximum height is 28 feet, measured vertically from the natural grade or lowest floor, whichever is lowest.

-   Maximum cut and fill is 1,000 cubic yards.

-   Each new home must have 2 covered parking spaces and 2 uncovered spaces for guests ( which can be in the driveway).

-   Setbacks: Front and rear set backs must be 20' from the property line. Side yard setbacks are total of 20' (minimum of 7.5' on a side).

-   The tree ordinance requires a permit for trimming or removal of trees that have diameter of 6" or greater at chest height (4.5'). Heritage trees may not be removed unless there is no other alternative for building. Trees that are approved to be removed, must be replaced at a 3:1 ratio.

-   All plans for new homes, remodels, additions and outbuildings must conform with the zoning regulations and be approved by the Design Review Committee (some minor projects may be exempted).

-   All neighbors within a 300 foot radius are to be notified of the date the project goes before the Design Review Committee public hearing.

Open question to the community: Do these current zoning regulations meet the needs for the Emerald Hills of today and tomorrow? Please send comments to feedback(at)emeraldhills.org.

Zoning FAQs

Q: What do I need to do first if I want to build or remodel?

A: Check with the San Mateo County Building and Planning Department about which regulations you will need to conform to. It will save you time and $$ to check what you need to do before having plans drawn.

Q: How do I reach them?

A: They are open 7 am to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, closed Friday. Phone number: 650-363-4161, fax number, 650-363-4839. Address: 455 County Center, 2nd Floor, Redwood City, CA, 94063. You may make an appointment or drop in. Brochures are also available.

Q: I see some garages built right at the edge of the streetÑis this legal?

A: On lots that have an average slope of 15% or greater, garages may have a "ZERO" setback, which means they may be on the property line.

Q: There are some new houses that look as if they are almost on the road--how did this happen?

A: The roads in Emerald Hills are not always in the center of the public right of way. In many cases the road is 'off center' of the right of way or even on private property. Where the road is not in the center of the right-of-way, homes may look too close to the road.

Q: Are there any regulations for fences?

A: Yes, the maximum height of a front yard fence is 4', side and back yard height is 6'.

Q: Is there a limit on how large a house can be?

A: Existing regulations allow up to 30% FAR, that is .30 times the lot area. The Design Review ordinance requires that homes be compatible with other homes in their immediate vicinity.

Q: My neighbor wants to add an "In-law unit"; can you explain what this is?

A: An "In-law" unit can be an attached or detached living unit, including a kitchen and bath. It must also have at least 1 space of off street parking for the unit (in addition to the parking required for the main house). There are very specific rules that apply to these units regarding where they are sited on a lot and their impact on their neighbors' privacy. Because of the impact this can have on a neighborhood, a permit must be obtained, neighbors notified and a public hearing held. A limited number of units are available to be approved for Emerald Hills.

Going Solar at 313 Lakeview
In January my husband Curt and I installed a grid-tied solar system to generate all the electricity we will need to run our home, including our new electric spa: The system consists of sixteen photovoltaic panels (Matrix Photowatt PW 1650/175) mounted on four tilt racks on our southwest-facing roof, a Sunny Boy 2500 inverter and some connectors, switches, wiring, and other miscellaneous parts. The solar panels and the Sunny Boy generate electricity, which we use and also sell to PG&E during the day, and then buy back from PG&E at night when our system is off-line. We also installed a time-of-use meter, so that we sell energy to PG&E at peak hours and we purchase electricity at off-peak hours at a considerable savings. We did not choose to install back-up batteries in case of power failure, but such a system is possible.

The total cost to install our system was approximately $21,500, but our actual cost will be less than half of that. A rebate from the CA Renewable Energy Buydown Program was about $9500, and we will receive $1800 as a state income tax credit for 2003.

We estimate that we will recover our entire investment in about ten years of freedom from electricity bills! And in addition to the $$ we'll save, we are benefiting the environment by averting the production of carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide and nitrous oxides, emissions that contribute to global warming, acid rain and smog.

It is important to hire a reputable solar contractor--doing so made the process easy and very efficient for us. Our contractors estimated the needed size of our system, obtained permits, talked to our neighbors about the panels on the roof, installed everything, left the site neater than they found it, and took the state rebate as part of the payment, so that we did not have to come up with the whole amount.

If you have been thinking about going solar, now is the best time, because the state rebate will be slowly decreasing every six months, beginning July 1. If you would like to come and see our system (and watch our electric meter run backwards!), I'd be happy to show it to you and talk with you further.

Carolyn Chaney, carolyn.chaney(at)emeraldhills.org, 650-364-5547