Hearings Official Decision - Laserfiche WebLink

As explained in the Staff Report, and as reflected on the applicant's site plans, the steepest slopes and higher percentage of vegetation occur on the eastern side of the PUD site, adjacent to the site's border with the Ribbon Trail. The Tract A preservation area runs the entire length of the eastern border. All of the lots that border Tract A (Lots 5, and 8 through 19) also include private preservation areas adjacent to Tract A. This preservation area concentrates the open space buffer in the area of the property with the steepest slopes, most significant amounts of vegetation and most significant visual impact. These combined preservation areas will locate building sites on these lots closer to the top of the ridgeline, clustering home sites in areas with fewer trees and vegetation and, accordingly, resulting in the least impact. The greatest degree of previous site disturbance has occurred in the higher elevations of the site. This includes the previous construction of three homes, a multi-unit building, a barn and grading of a dirt vehicle trail where the private road (Cupola Drive) is proposed to be located. It also appears that a number of trees were removed in the past, since the number of mature trees at the highest elevations of the site are significantly fewer than in the lower elevations with minimal ground disturbance. Clustering of home sites in the mid to higher elevations will limit the ground disturbance and allow for the preservation of more trees and vegetation, which is consistent with the above policies to the extent possible, given the existing site conditions and constraints. The Response Committee and several neighbors object that the proposed development fails to locate development with the `least amount of visual impact" and the least amount of vegetation." They also argue that the buildings will be at the "highest most visible elevation" and that, as proposed most of the larger trees will be removed" and that logging activity will further destroy vegetation. The site's topography and the proposed site plan do not reflect the neighbors' characterization. Based on the site plan layout, the clustering of homes, the preservation of approximately one- third of the site as open space, the use of the existing trail in which to locate the private road, the applicant has used the PUD procedures in a manner to minimize overall impacts. It is clear that the Response Committee and neighbors do not believe the applicant has done enough; there are always ways that `more' could be preserved. However, in `encouraging' the applicant to design a residential development the respects the existing characteristics of the site and minimize the impacts, the South Hills Study residential development standards do not require absolute preservation or the absence of any impacts. In the context of the residential zoning of this property, the applicant has used the PUD procedures to design a proposed development that minimizes impacts and respects and preserves the site's natural characteristics. That adequate review of both on-site and off-site impact of any development by a qualified engineering geologist occur under any of the following conditions: 1. All formations Soil depth of 40 inches or above Slopes of 30 percent and above 2. Basalt flows Soil depth of 40 inches or above Hearings Official Decision (PDT 17-1) 20