02/12/2003 P&Z Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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• • Planning & Zoning Board January 8, 2003 Page 29 stated it is not a matter of whether staff wants or does not want this to be approved, but a matter that the City made some decisions on what was to happen in areas at certain times. There are guidelines that if development is to occur, there are ways to do that. He stated there is a long public policy determination process that takes years to complete and then things come up so the issue is what credibility the City's policy have if the rules are made and then ignored. Chair Schaps stated he understands those concerns and that with every set of rules there may have to be an exception. He reviewed the surrounding property uses to the Keefe property, noting that to the north is Clearwater Creek so there will be no service from that area; to the east there is only wetland that will not be developed and if service came from that direction the cost would be unapproachable; to the south the property is developed with wells and septics; and to the west it is wetland. He stated he understands what the Comprehensive Plan says but thinks this is a situation that may not have been addressed and if there is any reasonable use of this property it may have to be through well and septic development. Mr. Smyser stated he has no way of knowing how sewer and water could come to this property since no feasibility studies have been done. He noted that the submittal by Mr. Keefe show just a few of the one acre lots to the south that are served by well and septic, and they have been in place for a very long time. He commented on the Twilight Acres area where septics started to fail and there were no other locations on those one acre lots to locate another septic. He stated that eliminating land from being available for City sewer and water eliminates it for other land as well due to the cost to extend improvements. Mr. Smyser stated it may be correct that this is an area that merits closer attention and that is a possibility. He stated that staff would fully support re- examining areas more closely but staff does not support just throwing out the adopted rules and granting approval. Chair Schaps stated he does not support throwing out adopted rules either but thinks this may be one area that needs to be readdressed. He noted this property is high ground so he thinks it could be served by a well and septic for a very long time. Mr. Smyser stated another option is clustering and open space guarantees which is allowed under the current ordinance. He stated that to approve this request would result in abandoning the City's Comprehensive Plan and Ordinances and he could not support that. Mr. Keefe stated there is no way sewer and water can come to his property in any way except, perhaps, from the south. He noted that there are small lots to the south but then there are acres of open land. Chair Schaps stated that he understands the concerns raised by Mr. Smyser and the need for Mr. Keefe to have this considered in a timely manner. He stated that he thinks DRAFT MINUTES