01-14-2026 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

3 Because the applicant is disturbing less than 20,000 square feet of land, and the property is not located on a County roadway, no outside agency review is required. The City’s Building Official, Engineer, and Public Works Director have reviewed the submittal and found no issues. They will continue to coordinate with the applicant as work progresses on the G Line. Public Comment Staff mailed notice of the variance request to all property owners within 350 feet of the subject property. Notice was also published in the Pioneer Press on Friday, December 26, 2025, in accordance with statutory requirements. As of the date of this report, staff have received no public comments. No public comments were received at the January 8th, 2026 Planning Commission meeting. Planning Commission The Planning Commission reviewed the request on January 8, 2026, and unanimously recommended approval of the variance. Request of the Council The applicant is requesting a front setback variance for a principal structure. What is a Variance? A variance is a formal exemption from the City’s zoning regulations. Because variances are exceptions to standards adopted by ordinance, they are subject to a high level of review and scrutiny. To approve a variance, the City Council must determine that the request satisfies all criteria established in the City Code and must adopt specific findings of fact to support its decision. If the Council concurs with staff’s recommendation, it may adopt the findings of fact as presented in this report. If the Council does not concur, it must instead adopt alternative findings explaining how the applicable criteria are interpreted differently. All of the following criteria must be met for a variance to be granted: 1. The request is in harmony with the purposes and intent of this ordinance 2. The variance is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. 3. The applicant can demonstrate that there are “practical difficulties” in complying with the regulation(s) in question. Determination of whether practical difficulties exist shall be based on the following: a. The property owner proposes to use the property in a reasonable manner permitted by this ordinance. b. The plight of the landowner is due to circumstances unique to the property not created by the landowner. c. The variance will maintain the essential character of the locality Applicant Narrative The applicant is required to submit a narrative explaining the basis for the variance request and how it relates to the City’s approval criteria.