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Exhibit 29 - Opening statement by Property OwnerCOPY OF OPENING STATEMENT BY JESSICA THORNBERRY For the March 12, 2025 Planning Commission Meeting Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today. My name is Jessica Thornberry, and along with my spouse, Blake, we are the owners of this property. I understand there have been some misunderstandings in the public comments regarding our proposal, so today, I would like to walk you through our design compatibility study and let the data speak for itself. •This first slide shows an aerial view of our neighborhood, where we based our study on 16 homes in the immediate area. As you can see, the lots in thisneighborhood are long and narrow, and they are located in close proximity toeach other. •One of the primary concerns we’ve heard is regarding our Floor Area Ratio,or FAR. This chart compares the current FAR, our proposed FAR, and theFARs of the surrounding homes. The blue dot represents our current FAR,which is significantly smaller than the homes around us. The green dotsrepresent our proposed FAR, which has been reduced to 0.386. After thisadjustment, our house falls in line with the neighborhood average in keymetrics such as residential square footage, FAR, and delta to guidance. Infact, our proposed FAR ranks 7th out of 16 homes, placing us almost exactlyat the median. This addresses the concern that our house is too large for the lot size. In reality, our lot size and house size are both quite average when compared to the neighborhood. The key takeaway here is that we are moving from the smallest house on the block to one that is more in line with the neighborhood’s average. •Next, let's discuss the rear projection of our house in comparison to the neighbors. This image highlights that despite the narrow lot, the rear projection of our home is consistent with what is found in the surrounding properties. We've chosen a space-efficient Italianate Victorian design to ensure compatibility with the area. •Regarding setbacks, the staff report originally found our setbacks to becompatible with the neighborhood, but we have gone further by increasing thesetback on both sides of the property. As seen in the image, many of thehomes in the area have non-conforming setbacks, and we are simplyrequesting to align with the typical setback pattern, despite having thenarrowest lot frontage. (We believe the chimney to be an architectural feature,but will remove if the commission deems appropriate.) EXHIBIT 29 • In terms of height, our current home is the shortest in the neighborhood, and we are not asking for any exceptions here. In fact, we’ve reduced the height by six inches based on feedback from a neighbor, and after this adjustment, nine homes on the block will be equal to or taller than our proposed home. • On the issue of privacy, we are committed to addressing privacy concerns through fencing and landscaping, which we will implement at our own expense. If our neighbors have additional concerns, they are welcome to take their own preventive measures as well. We’ve made proactive efforts, but unfortunately, we haven’t seen the same level of collaboration in return. At the last meeting, one of the commissioners asked, "Why are we even discussing this project here today?" The response from planning was that it was due to our original FAR of 0.46, which was the highest on the block. Since that time, we have worked diligently to address the FAR and have made thoughtful compromises on every aspect discussed in the last meeting. Our goal has always been to enhance the beauty and character of the neighborhood while respecting the established framework. We’ve received numerous letters of endorsement in support of this project, which reflects the positive impact we aim to have on the community. We respectfully ask for fairness and objectivity in evaluating this proposal. We understand that change can be difficult, and it’s natural for some concerns to arise. However, it’s important that we base our decisions on facts and objective evidence, rather than subjective opinions or emotions. When decisions are influenced by personal biases rather than verifiable facts, we risk letting those biases shape the outcome, and that is something none of us want. Our intention is to enhance this community, and we trust that the committee will give fair and thoughtful consideration to our efforts. Thank you again for your time and for considering our project.