AgdaPkt 2003-12-08 - Laserfiche WebLink

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REPORT To the Honorable Mayor and City Council From the City Manager December 8, 2003 Subject Appeal of the decision by the Zoning Administrator to deny an Architectural Permit for the construction of a new single family house at 3738 Laurel Way. Recommendation Uphold the Zoning Administrator's decision to deny the project which enforces existing Council policy pertaining to future development on the west end of Laurel Way. Background Proiect Settino,: A property owner wishes to construct a new single family home on a vacant hillside parcel located at 3738 Laurel Way (please see Attachment #1, Site Plan and Elevations).' Laurel Way is a cul -de -sac serving 37 single - family lots. The road consists of a paved street portion built to city standards near Highland Avenue, narrows down to a small portion of paved but substandard street section farther west, and finally narrows down even more to a one lane dirt/gravel way terminating in an unimproved "cul -de- sac." The map on page 2 of this report shows the location of these transitions in the road surface. The subject parcel is generally surrounded by other vacant lots and is located adjacent to the portion of Laurel Way where the unimproved street gives way to the dirt/gravel road. The parcel is approximately 9,713 square feet on a steep canyon hillside. Based on the submitted topographical map, much of the parcel includes areas with slopes that are very steep (estimated as 35% to nearly 50% slopes). It is because of these extreme slopes, difficult terrain, and severely substandard infrastructure that the Council established a policy to require an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the balance of Laurel Way. On December 18, 2000, a line was established by Council which specified what parcels would require an EIR and which would not (please see Attachment #2: December 18, 2000 Report to Council, Minute Order and Resolution and Attachment #3: October 23, 2000 Report to Council and Minute Order). The subject parcel falls among the parcels that require an EIR. At the time, the appellant supported the decision to place the parcel at 3738 Laurel Way, on the side of the line requiring an EIR (please see Attachment #3, October 23, 2000, Report to Council, bottom of first page). The appellant now seeks to develop this lot without preparing the required EIR. On July 31, 2003, the Zoning Administrator denied the Architectural Permit for this application based on the finding that the submittal must be accompanied by an EIR pursuant 1 Please note that the plans and elevations are incomplete and would require revisions prior to any additional City review.