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was part of the Conditions of Approval was removed. She indicated that she notified <br />the City that same day and informed staff of all of the conditions of these impact lots <br />and that she was told that the project planner had made an error by processing the <br />application and issuing the permits over the counter. She stated that after she spoke to <br />Mr. Jeffrey, she decided to involve the City for help because there were too many <br />unknowns. <br />Ms. Johnston stated that she was asked by then Planning Director, Jerry Iserson, to <br />have this heard at the Zoning Administrator level instead of at the City Council level as <br />conditioned by the approval. She noted that she and her husband agreed to this after <br />being assured that it would carry the same weight of importance as if it were heard at <br />the Council level. She indicated that they were asked if the pool could proceed as Mr. <br />Jeffrey had contractors lined up and work was being delayed, and they had agreed in <br />an effort to compromise in order to allow the Jeffreys to enjoy their yard, based upon <br />their representation that they would re-install the landscaped buffer immediately and <br />that no significant grading would occur. <br />Ms. Johnston continued that on April 8, 2008, the City received landscape and grading <br />plans from Mr. Jeffrey, and upon reviewing the plans, they noticed that the plans did not <br />accurately depict the nature of the slope bank that was in the southwest corner of the <br />yard closest to them. She then showed pictures of what was submitted by Mr. Jeffrey, <br />where the base of the wall is at the same grade level as the ditch and where the slope <br />of the grade in the southwest corner as viewed from the Johnston home is more than <br />just afour-foot area of fill. She also presented a picture of the final grade currently <br />looks like. She noted that there is a significant difference between what was submitted <br />as Exhibit A and what the final grade actually is, with the actual grade being 50 percent <br />higher than what was submitted to the City. <br />Ms. Johnston stated that they submitted a letter to the City dated April 15, 2008, <br />explaining their concerns about Exhibit A and its inaccuracies. She noted that they <br />attended Zoning Administrator hearings on April 16 and April 30, 2008, but no solution <br />was reached. She stated that following the meeting on April 30`h, she asked to meet <br />with Donna Decker, Principal Planner, and noted that on May 2, 2008, she reiterated <br />their concerns about the grading of the lot and how it negatively impacted their home <br />and lives. She stated that Ms. Decker indicated that she would meet with Mr. Jeffrey to <br />discuss these issues and that she would get back to them when new landscaping plans <br />were submitted. Ms. Johnston noted that they did not hear back from anyone and that <br />about June 26, 2008, work again began at 927 Montevino Drive. She indicated that she <br />sent and email and spoke to Natalie Amos and asked if work had been approved that <br />they were not made aware of. She stated that Ms. Amos replied that nothing had been <br />approved and that Mr. Jeffrey was proceeding without City approval. Ms. Johnston <br />noted that when they returned from vacation on July 6, 2008, the retaining wall was <br />completely installed, and it was to the top of their fence line. She noted that the wall <br />may be four feet tall but that from their home, the wall was a six feet tall. She added <br />that they were unsure at what point the wall went from being permitted in error to being <br />allowed as they never received an explanation. <br />EXCERPTS: PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES, September 10, 2008 Page 9 of 25 <br />