Rob Wants a Bigger Pad

June 23, 2006

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“Sam Seaborne” narrowly won approval from planners for a massive dream estate on his $8.5 million Montecito lot in Northern California, despite a neighbor's complaint the mansion would spoil his own panoramic ocean view.

''I've always been a big believer in the process. I'm obviously pleased with the outcome,'' the 42-year-old actor said after Wednesday's 3-2 vote by the Montecito Planning Commission.

The vote came after a day-long debate over whether the proposed 14,260-square-foot estate would overwhelm the Picacho Lane neighborhood, which is also home to mystery writer Sue Grafton.

Lowe's proposal calls for a 24-foot-high privacy hedge that would screen the estate from neighbor Fred Gluck, former head of the international consulting firm McKinsey & Co. Gluck said the hedge would partially block views of the Pacific. Lowe purchased the 3.4-acre undeveloped property for about $8.5 million last year. Gluck first complained about potential view loss, then on the size of the home.

Lowe and his people noted that Gluck's 8,577-square-foot home also exceeds Montecito guidelines Lowe's proposal is to build a 9,860-square-foot home with a 2,000-square-foot basement, an 800-square-foot guesthouse, an 800-square-foot second-story cabana with an 800-square-foot garage below.

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