Laserfiche WebLink
Mr. Dolan stated that the suggestion was not that it be below 100 feet from the top of <br />the ridge but 100 feet from the ridgeline, which is going to have a slope, and so what the <br />house would be measured against is constantly changing. <br />Commissioner Olson agreed and added that the location of each house is also <br />changing. <br />Chair Blank agreed with Commissioner Olson and added that one could look at the <br />width of the property line, then look up at the top of ridge and the highest point of the <br />ridge, and look at the highest point of the house, and have a 100 -foot difference. <br />Mr. Dolan stated that that would typically be such a great distance, and it would make <br />the measurement almost useless because everything would be below the top of the <br />ridge, which is a half -mile away. <br />Chair Blank replied that that is the reason there are topographical maps. <br />Commissioner Narum asked Mr. Dolan how he would define it the other way, noting that <br />if the building pad is 100 feet below the top of the ridge, it is really talking about a 20- or <br />30 -foot difference. <br />Mr. Dolan explained that there would be a building pad that would generally be at one <br />elevation, but the top of the roof makes the measurement complicated. <br />Chair Blank noted that the highest point of the roof is all one elevation. <br />Mr. Dolan stated that the Commission is concentrating on what he considers to be the <br />minor part of the argument. He pointed out that the primary part of the argument is that <br />that is an interpretation that he believes is more restrictive than the words of <br />Measure PP. <br />Chair Blank referred to the language: "Housing units and structures shall not be placed <br />on slopes or within 100 vertical feet of a ridge line." He stated that if the base of a <br />structure is 100 or 101 feet off of the vertical ridgeline, it could be very possible that the <br />top part of the house will actually be closer to the ridgeline than 100 feet, and it would <br />violate the intent of protecting the scenic hills with development. <br />Commissioner Olson agreed. <br />Mr. Dolan stated that the language says "shall not be placed' and placing something <br />means placing something on the ground and, therefore, measuring at the ground. <br />Chair Blank stated that it also says "or within 100 vertical feet of the ridgeline." <br />Commissioner Pearce noted that it is more restrictive than "place" and not more <br />restrictive than "within." <br />PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, March 13, 2013 Page 20 of 35 <br />