07-28-2004 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES PLANiNING COMMISSION JULY 8, 2004 Keis also noted that this matter has been tabled several times in order to give the applicant an opportunity to put together a feasible proposal. City staff has also met with the property owner on several occasions. Keis noted that the revised site plans which were submitted a few months ago where very similar to the original submission, and there was nothing additional submitted prior to this meeting. Chris Groholski, Precision Tree, reviewed the family circumstances which have taken up a great deal of their time and prevented them from working actively on the applications for Variance and CUP Amendment. Keis indicated that he could not grant the Variance as requested, and noted that nothing has changed substantially from the first time the Commission reviewed this matter back in February of this year. Keis indicated that there is no hardship present to warrant granting the Variance. Keis felt the options before the Commission were to either deny the Variance and CUP Amendment and send these matters on to the Council, or table action at this time pending a revised site plan. Keis reviewed the report submitted by the City's Code Enforcement Officer and noted that the key issues are the above ground firel tanks, the outdoor storage, and the alternative heat source. Keis also indicated that the City has letters of objection from businesses in the area to the alternative heat source. Chris Groholski asked if those businesses have also complained about fumes from diesel trucks running up and down the street. Keis replied that they did not. Groholski asked about the use of wood chips rather than turf. She indicated that the property did not have established turf prior to development, but was rather a patch of weeds. The City Planner indicated that while woocl chips are a landscaping element that is used as mulch, it is not a means of landscaping in and of itself. The Planner indicated that a property owner cannot establish a field of wood chips. Keis stated that the City wants the Precision Tree property to look attractive. Groholski questioned the need for turf at the back end of the property. The City Planner stated that typically the City would allow areas to be seeded with materials that do not require mowing, such as wild grasses and flowers.