HomeMy WebLinkAbout1994-04-12 Planning MINASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING
MINUTES
APRIL 12, 1994
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m by Chairperson Barbara Jarvis. Other
Commissioners present were Hibbert, Bingham, Armitage, Cloer, Medinger,
Thompson, Powell, and Carr. Staff present were McLaughlin, Molnar, Knox, and
Yates.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND FINDINGS
Hibbert moved and Armitage seconded approval of the Minutes and Findings of the
March 8, 1994 meeting.
PUBLIC FORUM
McLaughlin introduced Kelly Madding, Associate Planner/Affordable Housing Officer
for the Department of Community Development.
TYPE II PLANNING ACTIONS
PLANNING ACTION 94-032
REQUEST FOR A MINOR LAND PARTITION TO DIVIDE A PARCEL INTO THREE
LOTS LOCATED AT 1632 ROSS LANE. TWO OF THE PARCELS WILL BE
ACCESSED FROM PEACHEY ROAD. A 1.5 FOOT (APPROXIMATELY) LOT
WIDTH VARIANCE IS ALSO BEING REQUESTED TO ALLOW A LOT WITH A
WIDTH LESS THAN 75 FEET.
APPLICANT: RICHARD LUCAS
Site Visits and Ex Parte Contacts
All Commissioners, except Thompson, had a site visit.
STAFF REPORT
Molnar entered into the record the letter from John and Gloria Tredway requesting a
30 day postponement of the hearing. He noted that the information was available to
them 20 days before the first hearing.
Jarvis asked the applicant if he was willing to agree to a postponement.
RICHARD LUCAS did not wish to postpone the hearing.
Hibbert moved to proceed with the hearing. Carr seconded the motion and it passed.
Medinger abstained.
Molnar continued with the Staff Report. The criteria for a Minor Land Partition was
sent out with the notice. Molnar explained the history of lot splits in this area. The
neighbor's main concerns during previous hearings was with increased traffic along
Harmony and Ross Lanes. This application will have access to Peachey Road, not
Ross Lane. Staff has recommended approval with the attached four Conditions.
PUBLIC HEARING
RICHARD LUCAS, 1632 Ross Lane, repeated several points he had made in his
application. He said his neighbor was granted a Variance just like the request he is
making. He feels the lots he is creating have been designed taking into consideration
trees, utilities, light, etc.
Hibbert believes he addressed the Tredway's concern about access to Lot 1.
Medinger does not believe this is the proper way to do land use planning by
developing parcel by parcel. The argument can be made there is a driveway going
from Peachey and Ross Lane. His concern is that by leaving a 21,780 sq. ft. parcel,
that it makes it possible that parcel could be divided also. Lucas said it could be but
they would have to move the house. Medinger wondered if Lucas would agree to
moving the middle boundary line so the lot would be less than 21,000 sq. ft. and
making it undividable. Lucas said he would not agree to that and even though he
himself does not intend to split the lot, he wants to maintain the right. Medinger would
like to have looked at the area as a whole, but Jarvis pointed out that in order to
subdivide a larger piece, someone would have to acquire several lots.
Thompson thought part of the problem might have been when the property was
annexed, there should have been a transportation (street, pedestrian) plan to which
the property owners had to agree.
McLaughlin disagreed with Medinger and stated that given this area between Ross
Lane and Peachey Road with existing streets and the depths of the lots, the way the
parcels are being developed is appropriate. The subdivision process is used when a
new street is developed and a whole new grid pattern or a street transportation
network would be designed within a neighborhood. The existing streets have more or
less mandated the development of this area. The transportation issues are what
should have been addressed.
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Lucas wanted to apologize in advance for any construction noise that might occur
during construction.
Staff Response
Molnar added that if the Commission decides to approve this application, Staff
recommends adding a Condition that a conservation easement be provided along the
riparian area along the west property line within 20 feet of the creek channel. Lucas
agreed.
COMMISSIONERS DISCUSSION AND MOTION
Medinger expressed his objections to development by Minor Land Partition. Could
there be a driveway design that would be better than what the applicant is showing?
Medinger discussed the possibility of a pedestrian path from Peachey Road to Ross
Lane.
Thompson wondered about a pedestrian path running along the property line from
Peachey Road to Ross Lane (the east side of Lot 600).
RE-OPEN PUBLIC HEARING
Thompson asked the applicant if the neighbor was happy with the position of the
garage? Lucas said he has discussed this with his neighbor but nothing has been
decided.
Armitage moved to approve Planning Action 94-032 with the attached five Conditions
(includes the conservation easement). Hibbert seconded the motion.
There was further discussion about a pedestrian path. Medinger thought there should
be an easement for a path when these properties are developed, giving a way from
Peachey to Ross. If the garage was never removed, there could still be a path
easement from the middle of the parcel to Peachey Road, with a new path easement
attached to Lot 500 that reaches to the middle. It would be halfway between the
Catholic Church and Walker. Some of the Commissioners favored that idea. Armitage
did not wish to amend his motion.
The motion carried with Bingham, Armitage, Hibbert, Jarvis, and CIoer voted "yes" and
Carr, Medinger, Thompson, and Powell voting "no".
ASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING
MINUTES
APRIL 12, 1994
PLANNING ACTION 94-057
REQUEST FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AND SITE REVIEW FOR AN
ELECTRICAL SUBSTATION LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF MOUNTAIN
AVENUE NEAR HERSEY STREET.
APPLICANT: CITY OF ASHLAND
Site Visits or Ex Parte Contacts
All Commissioners had a site visit.
STAFF REPORT
The City has been involved for the past couple of years looking for an electrical
substation site. Through a lengthy process, the property on Mountain has been
selected. The City also purchased the area surrounding it for a 28 acre park. A Minor
Land Partition and Boundary Line Adjustment were approved in December that
created the two acre parcel that is the substation site property. Staff displayed maps
showing the substation location, landscaping around the substation, and the park
area.
Staff believes the impact for the substation would be less than a 9-lot subdivision as
outlined in the Staff Report. There will be a heavy landscaping buffer around the
fenced perimeter of the substation. The substation height will be approximately 17
feet. Staff has recommended approval of this application.
Carr wondered about night lighting.
BOB LAFFEL, Bonneville Power Administration, District Manager, 86000 Franklin Blvd.,
Eugene, OR 97405, said they can be flexible with what they do about night lighting.
However, if they have to do maintenance on the substation at night, they would have
to have the lights on. He will comply with whatever conditions are necessary. There
are certain lights that remain on at night.
Bingham said that since BPA is exempt from our land use process, even if the
Planning Commission decided to say "no" to this application, they could go ahead
anyway. McLaughlin said BPA has chosen to work cooperatively with the City and
surrounding property owners.
Bingham wondered about the buzz that is normally heard at substations. Laffel said a
substation does make a low hum, however, they will comply with any noise laws.
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APRIL 12, 1994
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Medinger asked where the feed lines run.
AL WILLIAMS, Director of the Electric Department, said one line will run down Hersey
and two will run up Mountain Avenue in order to keep fewer lines running up
Mountain. Sixty foot poles will be installed to keep everything away from homes as
much as possible. The lines will be configured the best way they possibly can. The
lines will go underground from the substation to Mountain Avenue.
PUBLIC HEARING
MARIE MOREHEAD 310 N. Mountain Avenue, submitted photographs from 1966
showing the area near the substation under water. She wondered if someone could
explain how the substation will be kept out of the water.
McLaughlin said the flood plain area does not come up as far as the substation.
Laffel said an environmental analysis was done on this property and the land does not
lie within the 100 year flood plain. If land is in the flood plain, the land would elevate
the station to mitigate the problem. If the substation gets wet, it goes out.
McLaughlin read a letter into the record from Jill Murphey, 492 Lynn Street objecting
to the approval of this application. He also noted a letter from Mark Murphey and a
letter from Robert Williamson that were written at the time of the Minor Land Partition.
AL WILLIAMS, stated that the EMF (Electromagnetic Field) will be lower because the
power lines will be on higher poles and because of the line configuration. In the park,
there will be a buffer zone to protect the park.
Powell asked what happens to the EMF when the wires are buried underground and
why are these not underground. Williams responded that lines running underground
are not as reliable, they don't last as long, and it is expensive to place them
underground. Also, the EMF is higher when three feet deep because a person would
be closer to the wires.
Armitage wondered if a vegetation buffer had been proven to reduce the EMF.
Williams said the park play area would be further away and the substation will not be
putting out that much of an EMF.
ASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING
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APRIL 12, 1994
MIDGE THIEROLF, said the park being planned is an active park. There will be a
large planting to buffer the site, not the EMF. They have tried to remove the play areas
as far away as possible from the substation. The parking area will be about 100 feet
away from the fencing around the substation. Thierolf assured the Commission that
Brian Almquist, City Administrator, is willing to put a fair amount of money into planting
larger trees. There was discussion about planting trees along the edge of the road
along Mountain Avenue, in the area that comes down the hill, to help with screening
because the substation could be seen from the top of the hill. Thierolf said AImquist
has been supportive of this type of screening.
Laffel said there would be an eight foot high chain link fence with wood slats to
obscure the view of the substation.
MOREHEAD, questioned if BPA owns the land, is the City doing the landscaping and
would they be responsible for maintenance of substation.
Laffel said a contractual agreement will be made where the City will provide the
landscaping and maintenance of the area.
COMMISSIONER DISCUSSION AND MOTION
Cloer thought it would be a good idea to add a Condition stating: that additional
landscape screening and trees be provided along Mountain Avenue south of the
substation site on park property. The purpose is to provide additional screening from
the higher elevation area of Mountain Avenue. The additional landscaping will be
irrigated.
Carr moved to approve Planning Action 94-057 with the addition of Condition 4 as
stated in the last paragraph under the Public Hearing. Hibbert seconded the motion
and it carried with Thompson abstaining.
OTHER
Planning Commission Rules
The rules will be for all new Commissioners and will handed out when they are
appointed. Two weeks notice has to be provided prior to adoption of the rules.
could be scheduled for the next meeting.
This
Election of Officers are in May now. The rules have been changed so elections would
be held in January in order to give new Commissioners an opportunity to get to know
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APRIL 12, 1994
the people and the process before voting on a Chairperson, etc.
Under item 8, "Deadline for Consideration of Agenda Items", McLaughlin will reword
this to fit our ordinance.
The footnote "Terms of Office" will become #13.
It was suggested that when the Commission has a new member, it would be important
to take 15 minutes at the first Study Session to talk to the new member about rules
and procedures.
There was consensus on the above items.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 p.m.
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REGULAR MEETING
MINUTES
APRIL 12, 1994
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