05-17-2006 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Item No: 6A Meeting Date: May 17, 2006 Type of Business: Other City of Mounds View Staff Report To: Mounds View Planning Commission From: James Ericson, Community Development Director Item Title/Subject: Consider Code Amendment Relating to Retaining Walls Introduction: The City Council has asked the Planning Commission to examine the Zoning Code relative to fences, retaining walls and terraces, and to provide a recommendation as to potential Code amendments if any are deemed appropriate. On April 19, 2006, Staff provided the Commission with detailed information and examples of how other communities define fences, retaining walls and terraces and provided the Commission with a variety of Code excerpts, handouts and requirements from our neighboring nearby communities for reference. Also included for information purposes were photos depicting fences, retaining walls and terraces. The Planning Commission reviewed the sections of Mounds View’s code relating to fences, terraces and retaining walls. As a result of that discussion, staff was directed to prepare an amendment to the Code to define retaining walls and to provide for language that would clarify retaining wall setbacks. At this same meeting, the Commission chose to leave the language pertaining to fences and terraces unchanged. Discussion: Based upon the direction at the April 19th meeting, staff has prepared language that would amend Chapters 1102 and 1103 of the Zoning Code. In addition to adding a definition for Retaining Walls, staff proposes adding a definition for Landscaping, which is an undefined requirement in Chapter 1103. A final change is the addition of a new subdivision articulating “Prohibited Materials” such as barbed wire, razor wire, fences wired or designed to conduct and emit electrical charges. The proposed changes are shown below with additions underlined and deletions stricken. 1102.02: DEFINITIONS: The following words and terms, wherever they occur in this Code, shall be defined as follows: Subd. 58.5. LANDSCAPING: The aesthetic and physical improvement of land by the addition of berms, trees, shrubs, ground cover, crushed rock, wood chips, retaining walls and other functional, ornamental or decorative features. Subd. 100.5. RETANING WALL: A w all or structure constructed of stone, concrete, wood, or other materials, used to retain soil, as a slope transition, or edge of a planting area.