3A Public Hearing 2007 0507 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Planning Commission Meeting Draft Minutes Excerpt for meeting of April 12, 2007 Page 6 of 10 Acting Chair/Commissioner Dlugosh asked for a show of hands to gauge how many in the audience want to speak on this matter. Consequently, he indicated that each person would be limited to five minutes. He invited the first speaker to come forward. Jamilla Cox and Venita Cruz, 323 Herma Court, said that they have been working closely with Dave (Ruffin) and Reed (Settlemier). Ms. Cruz said they are trying to work things out, but they do have some objections. Ms. Cox had questions about the small lot that remain umesolved, which she described as a big concern for the neighborhood. They said they are unclear about whether the corner unit could be converted to commercial use at some point. Ms. Cox also reported objections to the tall fences, because most of the street-side fences are only three feet in height. Acting Chair/Commissioner Dlugosh asked for an answer to the question about the corner lot. Planner Barros indicated that the action tonight and the PD in question would be residential only. If any office or commercial use were desired later, a PD modification would be required. Roy H. Gregg, 341 Herma Court, said that he and his neighbors have been talking about this project. He said he did not receive a lot of notices abouUhe community meetings, and therefore was unable to attend. He did receive a staff report, and a blueprint of the proposed development. He noticed the pice fronts and entryways on the blueprints, but he did not notice any porches that are supposedly about 120 square feet that count toward each unit's open space. Nor did he see these porches in the renderings shown tonight or those posted in the neighborhood. To provide a voice from the majority of those in the neighborhood, including those unable to attend tonight's meeting, a petition went around to determine who favored the project and who opposed it. The "against" version is entitled "Neighbors for a Neighborhood." In his one canvass, he found one person who didn't care, and one who had no say-so either way. He described the canvass results as a representation of those in the 300-foot radius of the project, renters and homeowners alike. He turned the papers over to Planner Barros, who handed them to Acting Chair/Commissioner Dlugosh. Mr. Gregg referenced the staff report's analysis, citing "primary issues under consideration with this proposal are whether the configuration of the site, parking supply, and placement of the open space in. the two alternatives is appropriate." He said that the last time he checked with the owner of the property invited to do the lot-swap, he did not accept the idea of taking the back half of his property and turning it into a tot's lot and guest parking. Another issue that concerns Mr. Gregg under the "Land UselDensity" heading involves "Low Density Residential for the portions along Herma Court (0.16 acres, zoned RS Residential Single-Family)." Other concerns that Mr. Gregg passed along from his efforts in gathering signatures involve privacy as well as parking and traffic. A lot of the Herma Court residents want a 10- foot offset from existing property lines. Lots on that side of Herma Court are rather deep, he said, and have nice-sized back yards. Three stories up 10 feet away means that people using the top floors ofthe new units could look right down into their neighbors' back yards.