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neighbors to the rear would be utilizing, the tank would have to be moved anywhere between <br />20 and 30 feet to be fully screened. <br />Commissioner Narum inquired if the 30-foot rear yard setback of the new water tank presented <br />in the chart on page 5 of the staff report was an actual measurement or an estimate. Ms. Amos <br />replied that this was measured. <br />Commissioner O'Connor noted that the staff report states that the fence at the end of Diamond <br />Court was changed. He inquired if it was originally a solid fence. Ms. Amos replied that from <br />her conversation with the property owners at 455 Sycamore Road, the property owners had <br />removed the fencing and landscaping along that area to open up the area for those living on <br />Diamond Court to provide a greater sense of openness in that area. She added that she was not <br />sure if the fence was originally solid and that the owner were present and could provided that <br />answer. <br />Chair Blank indicated that he wanted to make sure that he had the right chronology and inquired <br />if staff had the date when the poly tank was put in and if this occurred before the a conditional <br />use permit application was filed. Ms. Amos replied that staff did not have a date on when the <br />new tank was put in but that it occurred before the conditional use permit application was <br />submitted. She explained that after the applicant had installed the poly water tank, Code <br />Enforcement was contacted regarding the installation and relocation of the new tank. She noted <br />that the Code Enforcement action provided the applicant with the two options of either putting <br />the same kind of tank back in the same location or applying for a conditional use permit. <br />THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS OPENED. <br />Janny Rocha, applicant, indicated that she would answer some of the questions that had been <br />raised before presenting her comments. She stated that the capacity of the old tank was about <br />10,000 gallons and that while the estimates she received from the well companies indicated that <br />it would take 10,000 gallons to irrigate her property, she only replaced it with a 5,000-gallon <br />tank. She noted that the new tank is actually smaller, shorter in height, and not as wide in <br />diameter as the old tank because it is only half in size. <br />With respect to the question regarding the fence at the end of Diamond Court, Ms. Rocha stated <br />that it was a solid fence and that there was vegetation in the area as well. She noted that from her <br />bathroom window, she could see the neighbor in the driveway of that court, whereas she was not <br />able to see them before the fence was removed. <br />Ms. Rocha then stated that as an architectural student at Berkeley, she learned that design is not <br />arbitrary and that form follows function. She pointed out that the old water storage tank was a <br />good example of this principle. She stated that the Function of the tank is to store water and that <br />it should logically be close to the source. She noted that she could have replaced the old tank in <br />the same location and would not have needed a conditional use permit; however, it did not make <br />sense to go through the expense of installing a new tank and pump without considering the issue <br />of efficiency. She indicated that the old set up was not working, and she did not want to make <br />the same mistake. <br />EXCERPTS: PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, April 9, 2008 Page 3 of I S <br />