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Byline: Enrique Rivero Daily News Staff Writer

Conejo school board member Dolores Didio will go to the Planning Commission Monday to ask that it overturn the city's approval of neighbor Larry Janss' plan to build a 2,218-square-foot addition to his house.

Didio said Janss' plan to build the attached one-story photography studio and two story loft addition to his 5,200-square-foot house will block her views of trees and hills and violates the 38-year-old codes, covenants and restrictions on the tract, which was developed by the Janss family.

She also claims that the proposed photo studio could pave the way for commercial structures in the residential development.

"It could be the beginning of changing what we now have as semirural neighborhood," said Didio, who filed the appeal with her husband, Vincent. "I'm not saying that will happen, but it could."

But Janss said the studio at his house in the 1100 block of El Monte Drive, next door to Didio's, is just a small part of the overall addition to his home, which is primarily a bedroom and wardrobe. The studio is strictly for his personal use and will not be used for commercial purposes, said Janss, an avid photographer.

"It's a reasonably sized darkroom and a reasonably sized shooting space," Janss said. "It's a significant addition of which less than half is a photo studio."

Planning Department officials are siding with Janss and are recommending that the commission reject Didio's appeal of a Feb. 8 administrative decision approving the project.

Among their arguments are that views will not be substantially impacted by the project; that the city has no authority to preserve private views; and that the city does not enforce private codes, covenants and restrictions unless specific portions of them were city imposed or were the result of an agreement between the developer and city.

The codes, written in 1958 by Ventura County Land Co., are a series of restrictions that act as a sort of general plan for the specific development, setting forth strict guidelines for property usage, design and other areas.

Didio argues that the codes do not allow lots in the Conejo Oaks tract to be used for anything other than residential purposes and do not allow commercial uses of any kind. She said that the planned studio goes far beyond what an amateur photographer needs, according to documents submitted to the Planning Commission.

She also argues that the scale of the project is just too large and will substantially block her views of trees and hills.

"When you do something like that, when you have neighbors that it impacts - and I happen to be the one that it impacts - there should be some mitigation and there is no mitigation," she said. "It blocks my view."

According to a staff report, however, mock-ups provided by Janss during prior meetings to resolve the issue as well as other evidence shows the visual impact will not be substantial.

In addition, the scale is well within what is allowed by the property's zoning. Also, the city allows conducting a business from a home through a special permit as long as the business is "clearly incidental and secondary to the (building's) principal use as a dwelling."

Janss said the disagreement is a minor one that is sure to be resolved to the satisfaction of all concerned.

"The Didios and Jansses have a very mild concern that we are amicably putting to bed," he said.

The Planning Commission will meet Monday at 7 p.m. in the Forum Theatre at the Civic Arts Plaza, 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd.