12-09-2002 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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F #02-2854 1973 Fagcrncss Point Road November H, 2002 Paged 3.Does Planning Commission agree with the general concept of retaining walls in the 0-75' zone for this property, or should grades be changed to minimize the need for walls? Remember that the CMP states in Section #3A, Urban Area Policies for Natural Resource Management, as follows: “2. Retention of natural vegetation will limit the impact of urbanization as visible from the lake. Building heights will be limited to less than the typical tree height. Minimum green bells will be provided with prohibitions against clearcutting or excessive thinning of vegetation. Natural vegetation will be preserved on siupes. Retaining walls will be discouraged except when absolutely necessary to prevent erosion, in which case they will be screened with natural vegetation.” Preservation of the lakeshore bank as it has long existed may in fact require retaining walls of wme sort, be they wood timbers, boulders, keystone blocks, etc. Other methods for maintaining the shoreline might be possible, including vegetative plantings, for instance. However, more intrusive methods to ensure no future slump of the lakeshore bank would entail a wholesale reshaping of the shore with a gradual slope from the house to the lake incorporating layered fabric. This method would not be in keeping with the goal of preserving the character of the shore. Due to the last minute nature of the submittal, the City Engineer ’s comments have yet to be suitably addressed. While staff would prefer that this shoreline restoration be completed as soon as possible, we are not in a position to recommend approval of this plan as of this writing. Staff Recommendation Staff recommends the following: 1.Table the application to allow staff and City Engineer time to consider whether it is an appropriate plan, and to allow staff, applicant and applicant’s consultant to confq- on the plan. 2.Provide direction as to whether the grades in the west lakeshore yard should be restored to match those that existed prior to remodeling in 1998. 3.Provide applicant with direction as to whether the deck on the lake side of the house might be approved if a formal variance request is made. Any forthcoming approvals ultimately should be conditioned on timely removal of the illegal shed in the eastern 0-75* zone, and removal of the gravel parking area in the same zone, returning both to grass. The applicant was ordered to remove the shed in July but to date he has failed to comply. A variance should not be granted for these improvements if applied for, as staff believes there is likely no hardship to support such variances.