SR 06:221 - Laserfiche WebLink

DISCUSSION The attached Zoning Administrator staff report dated June 15, 2006, provides a description and discussion of the proposed applications, including the house design and massing and the variance findings. This report includes additional discussion regarding the recent issues raised by the appellant. Construction Hours The City normally allows construction hours for residential additions from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday, provided adjacent neighbors don't object. In the past, there have been occasions where construction hours have been eliminated on weekends. Since no neighbors had expressed concerns with Saturday construction hours, staff had recommended at the Zoning Administrator hearing construction hours from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. The Zoning Administrator modified the construction hour condition to allow the Planning Director to modify the construction hours if future complaints are received regarding the construction hours and to allow the Planning Director to approve earlier "start- times" for specific construction activities (e.g., concrete-foundation/floor-pouring) or due to weather. The applicants, Mr. Boyce, and other neighbors at the hearing did not object to this modified condition. With the appeal, the appellant is requesting that no work be allowed on Saturdays. Staff believes that such a restriction is reasonable and is consistent with construction hours imposed on other projects in the City. The applicants have indicated that it would be acceptable to eliminate Saturday construction. Staff has modified the condition accordingly. Impacts to the Appellant's Existing Retaining Wall Mr. Boyce indicated that he is concerned that the proposed additions would add weight to an already strained retaining wall that is located in the rear of his property. Based on staffs preliminary review of the proposed locations of the additions and the existing location of the retaining wall, it does not appear that the proposed additions are close enough to the retaining wall to place additional loading on it since the load from a house foundation generally doesn't extend beyond a 45-degree downward angle from the bottom of the foundation footing. Nevertheless, staff has recommended a new condition that requires the applicants to design/engineer the foundation such that no load is placed on Mr. Boyce's existing retaining wall. Conformity with Downtown Regulations New construction in the Downtown must be sensitive to the character of the historic area and, to accomplish this goal, should conform to the extent feasible to the specialized design policies SR:06:221 Page 4