HarmonyJim

Then your neighbor got off easy. As a licensed building contractor, the Calif coastal areas are very restrictive, and they are full-psycho on the oak trees (especially coast live oaks). Your neighbor would have been executed and his body parts scattered if he burned those oaks down in San Luis Obispo, or Santa Barbara counties. I would have thought the Marin area was twice as bad. If there is already a garage on the property, and you wish to add another, I hope it is at least out of your neighbor's view as the neighbors will likely have a fit. Then there are zoning issues to contend with since only garage is usually allowed in upscale neighborhoods unless they are contained within the main residence structure (plan on being very patient if you request a zoning change). Renovation seems a more practical alternative (leave the smallest segment of one exterior wall standing). Building in Calif can be such fun.