PL MINUTES 07171984 - Laserfiche WebLink

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-3- After Mr. Root requested a clarification on the. watershed, the Planning Commission' s consensus was that they did not feel the • drainage will change. Commissioner Bjorklund perceives that any addition, with or without a variance , would increase the runoff . Commissioner Bjorklund queried Mr.. Root about his own interpretation of a bay. Mr. Root indicato.d he believes a bay must be- curved and should not be more than 250 of the width of the dwelling. The Chairman asked Mr. Root if the proposed structure was disturbing to him because, as a neighbor; it would have windows in it and Mr. Root answered windows had nothing to do with his objection and that he objects to the structure itself being too close to his property line. He went on to say he feels the building codes should be adhered to and by granting variances , we allow people to build... anything they want. He feels strongly he he has the right to object to a variance from the building code. Mr. Root also stated he was Pot only speaking for himself and had obtained the signatures of other neighbors who are against the proposal. No other persons . present, however, spoke against the proposal . Before Pat DeKanick began to speak for the proposal, the Planning Commission requested an exact measurement of the proposed structure. Mr. DeKanick indicated, in response, that 12 feet would be added on to the existing house, plus 2 feet additional for the porch, for a total of 14 feet overall. Mrs. DeKanick then read from law books the basis of variances . She stated that she feels that Mr. Root obviously does not understand • variances . In the book, under zoning changes , it showed that vari- ances allow the individual landowner to deviate somewhat from zoning code requirements and variances do not require a zoning change. However, the variance must not change the basic characteristics of the neighborhood, according to the law book. The applicant also commented on Mr. Root's concern about the drainage problem. She said at the time Mr. Root built his house he was aware of thewater problem. Mrs . DeKanick also stated that when they (DeKanick's) built their house in 1959 , they were the first new house on that side of the block . In 1961 the house to the north was built a little bit higher than the DeKanick' s since the . ground level for that house is built up. She feels that as the first people on the block, they are not causing the drainage problems and she also cited other neighbors with water problems . The Chairman asked if there were any other questions . Commissioner Bjorklund read the section of the Ordinance regarding permitted encroachments, which .may .come within 3 feet of the property- line . He perceived the- DeKanick' s held to that regulation. However, the following several sections of the Ordinance state that certain en- croachments may not be within 5 feet of the property line, the Commissioner continued. He then asked Mrs . DeKanick what she felt the width of a bay should be. She stated her interpretation of the ordinance is that it could be any size, however, she does not feel it should be as large as 25 feet, but did not feel 12-15 feet to be • excessive. Commissioner Bjorklund also asked why the original plans , which indi- cated the proposed structure would extend 16 feet back from the