Capital Hill PUD Page 30 of 67 <br />Planned Unit Development Application - Tentative Stage - Written Statement <br />March 3, 2017 (Revised:June 19, 2017, August 22, 2017) <br />That adequate review of both on-site and off-site impact of any development by a qualified <br />engineering geologist occur under any of the following conditions: <br />See attached Geotechnical/Geologic Investigation. <br />That developments be reviewed to encourage clustering of open space elements of different <br />development in order to preserve the maximum amount of continuous open space. <br />Along the east boundary of the development site, there are 2 proposed preservation areas. One <br />will be managed by the Home Owners Association and is not incorporated into the individual tax <br />lots. This is labeled as Tract A on the Site Plan and includes approximately 2.33 acres. The other <br />preservation area is contiguous with Tract A, the difference being that it will be owned by the <br />individual property owners. It will also be regulated through the CCRs, which will require the <br />preservation of healthy trees. It is made up of approximately 2.08 acres. At its very narrowest, it <br />provides a 150-foot open space area between the development site and the Ribbon Trail. In this <br />manner, open space elements are clustered to preserve the maximum amount of continuous open <br />space. <br />That developments be reviewed in terms of scale, bulk and height to insure development blends <br />with rather than dominates the natural characteristics of the south hills area. <br />This is a proposal for a Planned Unit Development/ Subdivision. Those developments are the most <br />challenging to review using this criterion as no buildings are proposed. However, it is not unusual to <br />refer to both the CCRs and the land use code itself for compliance with these aspirations. <br />Moreover, the CCRs will refer to the character of the individual homes. <br />It is premature to be preparing covenants and restrictions and this point in the process. These <br />should also implement final conditions imposed on the approval, if any. <br />This criterion is in reference to the development as a whole, not the individual homes. <br />The development as a whole will blend in with the natural characteristics of the South Hills area. To <br />better evaluate this, it is best to understand the current natural characteristics of the South Hills. <br />When viewed from the valley floor, one can see that the hills are dominated by fairly mature trees, <br />including many that are evergreen in nature, with a few stands of Oregon Oak. Houses are also <br />visibly scattered throughout the South Hills view shed. <br />The current natural characteristics of the South Hills includes elements of the forest, as well as <br />elements of human occupancy as much of it is zoned residential. (i.e. homes, cell towers, utilities, <br />etc.) <br />This development will have little impact on the view into the site from the valley floor and will have <br />very little impact to the continuity of the tree cover that is currently visible when looking into the site. <br />As stated previously, the existing properties to the west of this development site have extensive <br />mature vegetation that will continue to screen the future homes from view. <br />The buildings will not be seen beyond the property, except by immediate neighbors directly across <br />Capital Drive. The existing trees on the developed lots directly west of the property on both Capital <br />Drive and Cresta De Ruta are very mature and serve to screen the development site from views <br />into the site. The existing homes provide screening from off-site view into the site as well. Very <br />few of the existing trees on portion of the site facing west (towards the valley floor), near the <br />existing house (shown in pink on the Site Plan) and Lots 1,2 and 3 make up the existing view into <br />the site as a result of the mature vegetation to the west. <br />We have not been able to visually locate (with the naked eye) the existing 2 story and in some <br />places 3 story pink house on Lot 23 (it is painted pink) from the valley floor until we took compass <br />measurements and stood on a parking garage roof downtown. Without that effort the house isn't <br />noticeable. This house sits at the highest point on the development site (elevation 924). <br />Schirmer Satre Group • 375 West 4 m Avenue, Suite 201, Eugene, OR 97401 • (541) 686-4540 <br />