HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993-06-08 Hearings Board MINASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION
HEARINGS BOARD
MINUTES
JUNE 8, 1993
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Barbara Jarvis. Other
Commissioners present were Cloer and Hibbert. Staff present were McLaughlin,
Molnar and Yates.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND FINDINGS
The Minutes of the May 11, 1993 meeting were approved.
TYPE II PUBLIC HEARINGS
PLANNING ACTION 93-045
REQUEST FOR A MINOR LAND PARTITION TO DIVIDE A PARCEL INTO TWO
LOTS AT 99 GRANITE STREET. PARCEL 1 WILL HAVE STREET FRONTAGE
ALONG PINE STREET, WHILE PARCEL 2 WILL BE ACCESSED ALONG A
DRIVEWAY EASEMENT FROM PINE STREET.
APPLICANT: STEPHEN CARY
Site visits were made by all.
STAFF REPORT
The applicant is now showing two lots on their revised plan. Access to the existing
house on Granite would be from Pine Street so there would be no curb cut proposed
off Granite. Staff believes this application meets the applicable criteria and have
recommended approval with the seven attached conditions.
PUBLIC HEARING
DAVID EDWARDS, West 8th Street, Medford, said that the application meets the
criteria and asked for approval.
COMMISSIONERS DISCUSSION AND MOTION
Hibbert moved to approve Planning Action 93-045, Cloer seconded the motion and it
carried unanimously.
PLANNING ACTION 93-065
REQUEST FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR AN ACCESSORY
RESIDENTIAL UNIT TO BE LOCATED AT 556 FORDYCE STREET.
APPLICANT: CAROLYN ElDMAN
Site visits were made by Hibbert, Cloer and Jarvis.
STAFF REPORT
This action was originally approved administratively by Staff. A neighboring property
owner requested a public hearing. Since this request, another letter was written
stating that the neighbor no longer had any objections to this application. The
applicant is asking to convert a 500 square foot area in the barn to an accessory unit.
The second story addition would be a sleeping loft. Overall, Staff finds the application
acceptable with the attached conditions.
PUBLIC HEARING
Caroline Eldman, Fordyce Street, believes she has met the requirements.
Cloer wondered how the drive would be developed and Eldman said the driveway
would be moved a little eventually, but there will be enough room to widen it in the
future for further development.
COMMISSIONER DISCUSSION AND MOTION
Hibbert moved to approve, Cloer seconded the motion and it was approved
unanimously.
PLANNING ACTION 93-066
REQUEST FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR A TEMPORARY USE TO
OPERATE AN OUTDOOR PASTA CART LOCATED AT 372 E. MAIN STREET.
APPLICANT: DAN SHEPHERD
Site visits were made by all.
STAFF REPORT
Last month it was noted by Steve Willing that the cart would be in the right-of-way.
additional information was submitted since the last application and unless there is
additional information, the original plan would not appear to work.
No
ASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION
HEARINGS BOARD
MINUTES
JUNE 8, 1993
PUBLIC HEARING
DAN SHEPHERD, 209 Gresham Street, stated that he did turn in a revised plan and
measured the space he wished to use and it would be out of the right-of-way.
Shepherd said the deck area would not be incorporated. He said the cart would be
away from the building with seating against the wall behind the cart. He also said
there would be two chairs and a small table next to the sidewalk. The additional
drawing that Shepherd submitted is to scale. He has talked with the owner of Sports
Ltd, Garo's and Andy South (property owner) and they all favored the cart. After
seeing Shepherd's revised plan, McLaughlin felt the curb cut was large enough to
accommodate the cart and also that there would be enough visibility.
STAFF COMMENTS
McLaughlin asked the Commissioners to keep in mind Steve Willing's comments from
last month.
COMMISSIONERS DISCUSSION AND MOTION
Hibbert thought the applicant should be allowed to proceed through October and
reconsider the application next year. Cloer noticed while visiting the site, that traffic
from East Main should not be a problem pulling into the parking lot. He is comfortable
with the application. Jarvis thought the cart might be a way of drawing people to that
end of the downtown. She thought it would be beneficial to limit it to the summer.
Hibbert moved to approve, with the added condition that this be reviewed before next
summer and that a finalized plan for the seating arrangement and placement of
planters be provided.
PLANNING ACTION 93-074
REQUEST FOR A VARIANCE FOR THE FENCE HEIGHT FROM 3 1/2' TO 5' FOR
A 50' PORTION OF THE FRONT YARD FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 700
OAK STREET.
APPLICANT: BRUCE AND SANDRA WAND
Site visits were made by all.
STAFF REPORT
The applicant is requesting a height variance for a fence that has already been built.
On occasion, a fence will be built without a permit and may end up too high.
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JUNE 8, 1993
Excessive fence heights are almost exclusively in the front yard setback area. The
reason for a fence should be aesthetics, not to create a barricade or a fortress-type
situation. A letter from Mayor Golden is included in the packet regarding fence heights
along Oak Street. She wondered if these same fence heights appeared along Siskiyou
Boulevard that exist along Oak Street, what would it look like. The fence in this
application is about five feet high in the front yard setback and Staff has
recommended denial of this application.
PUBLIC HEARING
BRUCE AND SANDRA WAND, asked the Commission to consider the car lights that
shine in their windows from the two accessways located across from them as unique
and unusual circumstances. They gathered signatures from many neighbors
supporting their fence. They are willing to drop the height of the fence without making
it look like a fortress. The Wands noted how several neighbors obscured Oak Street
by means of hedges that can grow to heights greater than allowed. They have tried to
be sensitive to the aesthetics on Oak Street with regard to their fence.
Jarvis was not convinced the criteria have been met for a Variance and she did not
believe there were unique or unusual circumstances. McLaughlin responded that the
Commission has the discretion in fence height variances since they are an aesthetic
requirement. Is the benefit greater than the negative impact?
Cloer is leaning towards Staff's recommendation because he sees Oak Street as
changing from a more secluded country area to a city street. As Oak Street changes
from a rural to an urban city scape, his bias is for citizens to have visual access to
their neighbors. Wand responded that this is an individual case and approval would
not open the door to everyone getting approval for fence heights.
COMMISSIONERS DISCUSSION AND MOTION
Hibbert drives, walks and lives on Oak Street; it is residential with heavy traffic. He
would like to keep it the way it is. He believes the fence height should be at 3 1/2 feet
in height or that the applicant could plant shrubbery. Approving this application would
set a dangerous precedent because he does not believe it meets the criteria.
Jarvis does not believe there are any unique or unusual circumstances. She does not
want the street walled off from where residents live.
Cloer moved to deny the application for a Variance, Hibbert seconded and the motion
carried unanimously.
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HEARINGS BOARD
MINUTES
JUNE 8, 1993
PLANNING ACTION 93-080
REQUEST FOR A VARIANCE FOR THE FENCE HEIGHT FROM THE ALLOWABLE
FOUR FEET TO FIVE FEET FOR THE SIDE YARDS ABUTTING PUBLIC STREETS,
FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 185 OAK LAWN AVENUE.
APPLICANT: LYDIA DRESNEK
Site visits were made by all.
STAFF REPORT
The applicants are requesting a fence height Variance for the Oak Street narrow
frontage and the Oak Lawn narrow frontage. These are the side yards. Staff
recommends the fence be 3 1/2 feet along the front yard and 4 feet high along Oak
Street and 5 feet along the Oak Lawn narrow frontage. The applicants will be required
to conform with the vision clearance requirements.
PUBLIC HEARING
LYDIA AND AL DRESNEK said the reason for the Variance is it is a small lot and they
want to fence the area to enjoy their privacy. The Dresnek's submitted photographs.
BOB BLANKHOLM, 202 Oak Lawn, said he wants to make sure the 25 foot vision
clearance is adhered to and enforced.
COMMISSIONERS DISCUSSION AND MOTION
Hibbert moved to allow the applicant a fence from the applicant's existing fence on the
northeast corner of the property, to run a 3-1/2 foot fence all the way around the
property line to a point in line with the southwest corner of the house to a point 4 feet
from the west property line. The fence can be 4 feet from that point. None of the
fence can interfere with vision clearance. Cloer seconded the motion.
Hibbert amended the motion to read that "from the northwest corner the fence may be
5 feet in height not to exceed 17 feet in length, then drop the height to 4 feet to the
southwest corner of the house." Cloer seconded the amendment. The motion carried
unanimously.
ASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION
HEARINGS BOARD
MINUTES
JUNE 8, 1993
PLANNING ACTION 93-085
REQUEST FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR AN OUTDOOR FLOWER
STAND TO BE LOCATED UNDER THE VIADUCT ON WATER STREET TO
OPERATE FROM JUNE 15, 1993 TO SEPTEMBER 30, 1993.
APPLICANT: GARY VOGET
Site visits were made by all. Hibbert owns property across the street.
STAFF REPORT
The applicant is requesting to locate a flower stand under the viaduct in the public
right-of-way, in the rear portion near the entry of SeNor Gators. The land is state
owned and has been improved by the City as part of the downtown improvements.
This area is used by the Grower's Market and for a few other gatherings. The Rogue
Brewery has a limited license to expand to this area (issued by the State). Staff's
concern is that this is a private, for profit concern on public lands. The City has not
granted individual vendors permission to sell on public property. The Grower's Market
is larger and has a bigger draw. In this case, the benefit is largely to the operator. It
could possibly be an appropriate experiment to see how it would work to brighten up
an otherwise dingy location and see what happens.
Hibbert asked what would happen if another vendor submitted an application near this
area. McLaughlin said they would have to apply and then the question would be--
does the Commission want to encourage this type of use? He would like to see an
added condition that the applicant be asked to contribute to the downtown parking
fund.
McLaughlin explained the applicant already pays into the Grower's Market during their
season and becomes a part of that group on Tuesdays.
PUBLIC HEARING
TARYN VOGET, stated they are currently part of the Grower's Market. Last year lots
of people came to them asking for bouquets, such as Shakespeare and several
traveller's accommodations. She likes the idea of a flower stand on the corner and
she feels the area under the viaduct is especially unique. It serves as a big cement
area that provides access to other areas. Voget feels it would be fair to pay to use
the land. She believes the flower stand would add to the ambience and make a place
for locals to use and a product that would be in demand. The area is shaded and
cooler to flowers and accessible to local people and at the same time providing an
affordable product. Voget showed a drawing of what the stand would look like. She
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JUNE 8, 1993
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also added that she thought the addition of the flower stand would increase foot traffic
in that area.
COMMISSIONERS DISCUSSION AND MOTION
Hibbert noted that when he worked for a parks department and they found a need for
a public service, they would enter into a contract with someone and then parks would
collect a percentage. This might be good in the future if someone wanted to sell their
goods on the sidewalk. He thought that considering the guidelines available at this
point in time, it would be worth approving this application and giving it a try as it would
be an improvement to this area.
Jarvis was concerned with the already established businesses and competition. She
feels this should be done on private property.
Cloer moved to deny and Jarvis seconded the motion. The motion carried with
Hibbert voting "no". He would like the others to reconsider their decision as it seems
like a worthwhile project. If the City is able to collect the fees (Voget offered
$100/mo.), it would improve a portion of the town that has a need for this sort of
thing.
TYPE I PLANNING ACTIONS
PLANNING ACTION 93-072
REQUEST FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR AN ACCESSORY
RESIDENTIAL UNIT LOCATED AT 796 OAK STREET.
APPLICANT: RISA BUCK
This action was approved.
PLANNING ACTION 93-075
REQUEST FOR A SITE REVIEW TO REMODEL AND CONVERT THE EXISTING
"CAR WASH" BUILDING LOCATED AT 310 OAK STREET TO RETAIL SHOPS
AND/OR GENERAL OFFICES.
APPLICANT: TIM CUSlCK & LANCE PUGH
This action was approved.
ASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION
HEARINGS BOARD
MINUTES
JUNE 8, 1993
PLANNING ACTION 93-076
REQUEST FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR AN ACCESSORY
RESIDENTIAL UNIT LOCATED AT 908 OAK STREET.
APPLICANT: JAY COSTER
This action was approved.
PLANNING ACTION 93-077
REQUEST FOR FINAL PLAN APPROVAL AND PHASING MODIFICATION FOR
FOUR UNITS UNDER THE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS OPTION LOCATED ON
CLAY STREET, NORTH AND ADJACENT TO THE WINGSPREAD MOBILE HOME
PARK.
APPLICANT: HANK ALBERTSON
This action was approved.
PLANNING ACTION 93-078
REQUEST FOR FINAL PLAN APPROVAL OF A 32-LOT SUBDIVISION LOCATED
AS A WESTERLY EXTENSION OF MILL POND ROAD CONNECTING WITH
FORDYCE STREET.
This action was approved,
PLANNING ACTION 93-079
REQUEST FOR MODIFICATION OF CONDITIONS AND FINDINGS OF THE
PREVIOUSLY APPROVED SUBDIVISION OFF SKYCREST DRIVE (PA92-133),
APPLICANT: THE WILEY FAMILY). NO CHANGES IN THE APPROVED
SUBDIVISION PLAN, NUMBER OF UNITS, OR AREA DEDICATED TO OPEN
SPACE ARE PROPOSED. MODIFICATION INVOLVES DELETION OF CONDITION
REQUIRING OPEN SPACE DEDICATION.
APPLICANT: CITY OF ASHLAND
This action was approved.
PLANNING ACTION 93-082
REQUEST FOR AN EXTENSION OF A PREVIOUSLY APPROVED FINAL PLAN
FOR A FIVE-LOT SUBDIVISION UNDER THE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
OPTION FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED BEHIND 613 FORDYCE STREET.
APPLICANT: A.P. Group
This action was approved.
ASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION
HEARINGS BOARD
MINUTES
JUNE 8, 1993
PLANNING ACTION 93-083
REQUEST FOR A MINOR LAND PARTITION AND VARIANCE TO DIVIDE A
PARCEL INTO TWO LOTS FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 490
STRAWBERRY LANE. VARIANCE REQUIRED DUE TO INADEQUATE PUBLIC
FACILITIES (STREET, SEWER, WATER, STORM SEWER). APPLICANT
PROPOSING DEED RESTRICTION PROHIBITING ANY DEVELOPMENT OF THE
NEW PARCEL UNTIL FULL CITY SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE.
APPLICANT: JOHN & TRACY DARLING
This action was approved.
OTHER
Hibbert asked Staff to explore the idea of letting people sell goods on the sidewalk.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 3:45 p.m.
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JUNE 8, 1993
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