03-13-2023 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Date: 21 February 2023 Subject: #LA22-000068, Valdes Lawn Care and Snow Removal LLC o/b/o Mark and Lisa Thostenson 2815 Casco Point Road After-the-fact Setback Variances Public Hearing Other Previous Documents  Certificate of Survey for Lisa Thostenson, dated 5/18/2022  RPS22-0000126 Permit Plan Packet, PC Exhibit J: Hardcover Calculation Worksheet, dated 8/15/2022 Hello Melanie, After reviewing the packet of information regarding agenda item #LA22-000068, please note some significant items that caught my attention and may solicit further scrutiny by the Planning Commission Members and the City Council Members. Background (page 1) This statement highlighted in red below is in error. "Because the work was halted prior to completion, on November 28th the owner requested and received permission from the City Council to install a final wall at the top of the slope which their engineer determined to be necessary to protect the integrity of the slope. Their engineer provided documentation showing the slope failure is imminent and needed an emergency correction. That final wall has been installed."  The final wall has not been installed. As a result, the integrity of the slope is not protected.  The "As-Built" drawings, Certificate of Survey - Wall Detail Original Design, dated 2/3/2013 by E.G. Rud & Sons, Inc. show six timber walls have been built to date. The original engineering drawing prepared by Criterium-Schimnowski Engineers, dated 8/24/2022 depicts seven timber retaining walls that were supposed to be built on the bluff. Hence, when the Stop Work order was issued on October 28, 2022, the final timber wall had not been built and the owner requested the emergency permission to build the final 7th timber retaining wall.  When the Stop Work order was issued, the crew from Valdes Lawn Care and Snow Removal did as much as they could to protect the bluff and stage the needed materials to build the last remaining timber wall. The exposed dirt at the top of the bluff was covered in erosion burlap; the timbers for the final wall build were staged at the top of the bluff and remain untouched to this day. The crew also left a large pile of dirt near the bluff with the assumed intent to use it to backfill for the final timber wall with dirt and stones.  The photos included in the letter from Schimnowski Criterium Engineers dated November 18, 2022 (regarding the "Timber Retaining Wall Upper Tier") most closely resemble the current condition of the bluff with the exception of snow on the ground. The outline for the placement of the 7th timber wall was shown the photos to depict the location of the final wall build. However, no timber wall was built in this location, and thus this final retaining wall was not included in the As-Built drawings.