AgdaPkt 2011-08-22 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

8.A. - Page 63 Laurel Way Joint Venture Laurel Way Area Neighbors Association April 15, 20I1 Page 2 As thef has been some con�usion regarding the current status of the Laua•el Way Projeci, I am writing this letter for the purpose of clarifyin� the record, for the benefit of the Jatnt Venture, LWANA, and all other interested inembers of the public. This letter sets forth the position of the City's staf�regarding the current status of tlxe Laurel Way Project. Also, part of the purpose af this Ietter is to respond ta questions raised �n Ms. Sux�on's letter to the City dated Apri� b, 2011, If any of you believe that there is anything factuaily incorrect in this letter, I ez�courage you to bring any such factual errors to my attention and/or to the attention af City staff at your eaz convenience. You are welcome to email r�ae at z�ick(a�iarr�isfav.com. But I stress that I am only representin� and advising the City — it is not my role ta provide Iegal advice to any of you or to any other rnember of the public regarding the La�arel Way Fro�ect. NIr. Haner, I understand that you and the Laurel Way Joint Venture are not currently represented by an attorney iti this matter. You andlor the .loint Venture may wish to retain and consult with yaur own attor�ey. Mr. Velyvis, I understand that you have been retained as the attorney far LWANA. In order to make the City staf�'s pasition as clear as possible, I will start by sun�narizing some of the background 1For the Laurel Way Pa�oject, with wluch you are all already fan«iliar. The Laurel Way Praject, as described in the Laurel Way Planned Develapment Env�ronmental Im�act Re�ort recently prepared by the City's consultants, includes a 5.1 acre site which currently consists of 20 lots awned by 16 different awners. These Iots are steeply slaped — anly three k�ave an average slope of less than 30%. Sect�on 32.2 of the City's Zoning Code sets forth the "rnini�num building site area" for lots having a slope of six percent or greater. For example, that s�ction requires lots with a slope o�30°/fl to have a minimum building site of at least 30,000 square feet, wnile lots with greater than 34% slopes can c�z�ly be developed with a Planned Development Perr�it. All of the existing fots within the Laurel Way Project area are less than half this size, and fihe majo�•ity of them are less than a third. of this size. ]'done of the�e lots conforrr� with the City's existing code requirements. However, it appears that the lots were lawfu�Iy created through a subdivision m�ap fzled in 1926, before the Praject area was annexed to the �City. (While LWANA has argued to the effect that the lats were not lawfa.illy created, City staffhas not been persuaded by these arguments.) Section 33.2 of the City's Zoning Code provides that "[a] noncanfoY•tning lcat ... inay be used far developinent subject to compliance with aIl other provisions of this article and other applicable codes. A noncoi�forrivrig lat inay not be further reduced in area oi• dimension, except by variance." Artic�e 46 of the Gity's Zoning Code authorizes the City to issue Planned Development Perimits. Section 46.7{A)(3) authorizes the City to reduce nzinimum buildirF� site sizes for projects subject ta PIanned Develo�ment Permits.