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� -��- issues as do the other undeveloped parcels further west. Please refer to the appellanYs correspondences. PLANNING ISSUES This appeal requires consideration of the public health and safety issues regarding any construction on Laurel Way. The basic issue is: Should fhe City Council reaffirm, refract, or modify its existing policy for this particu/ar /ot on Laure/ Way? There is a long and somewhat controversial history to development on Laurel Way. That history is summarized in the attached City Council staff reports dated 9/1/88 and 11%26/85. Those documents reveal the development problems and reasoning behind the policy decision to require completion of proper studies and development of public safety solutions for construction in the area. The reports conclude that there are too many environmental, health and safety issues associated with any development on Laurel Way. Those issues include public or private access; sanitary sewers and storm drainage; unimproved street; narrow and steep slopes; non-conformance to lot requirements and the need for variances. In 1988, the City Council required the following measures prior to any development on Laurel Way: • Preparation of an environmental impact report for the entire area • Preparation of improvement plans to determine appropriate grades, street alignments, utilities and storm drainage facilities • Policies to guide the development on an area wide basis, instead of " "piecemeaP' • Need for special entitlements (if needed) for off-street parking, setbacks, etc. An EIR and other technical studies would determine the feasibility of developing the entire Laurel Way subdivision, and not just focus on several lots. These studies would provide _ specific recommendations and guidelines for development within the context of the zoning ordinance as well as important data as to whether variances should be issued or not. Key recommendations regarding limiting house size and lot coverage, lot combinations, and others would be addressed in the EIR. Normally, single family homes are "categorically exempY' from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and do not require an Environmental Impact Report. However, the City Council in 1988 imposed the requirement of an Environmental Impact Report due the facts that the Laurel Way subdivision is in an environmentally sensitive area (steep terrain and lush vegetation), and the development of all the remaining vacant parcels on Laurel Way could result in cumulative impacts creating a possibility of significant impacts. The City envisioned that the cost would be equitably distributed via a private reimbursement agreement among property owners. An interested party or developer of the vacant parcels would pay up front all EIR and technical study costs (minus the City contribution)'. The developer would then establish a reimbursement agreement whereby ' Roadway improvements for Laurel Way (construction and engineering costs) have been estimated at approximately $600,000. An EIR may cost about $100,000. So the total costs to conform to the City policy is about $700,000. The City contribution (18°/a of the EIR cost of $100,000) would be $18,000. This percentage was approved on October 26, 1996, at the same