Minutes - 2010 - Design Review - 04/22/2010 - Regular
DESIGN REVIEW BOARD
MINUTES
The Design Review Board met in regular session April 22, Chairman McCullough presiding.
1. CALL TO ORDER: Chairman McCullough calls the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
2. ROLL CALL: The following members were present: MC CULLOUGH, GRUBB,
BUTLER, KOCI, PASCUA. ABSENT: BARNES, WHITTAKER. A quorum is
present.
3. CONSENT AGENDA.
· Consent Agenda items are considered to be routine and are acted on with one motion.
There will be no separate discussion on these items unless a Design Review Board
member, City Staff, or a citizen requests an item to be removed from the Consent
Agenda for discussion. Items removed from the Consent Agenda wiU be placed on the
Regular Agenda in a sequence determined by the Rules of Order.
. Any item on the Consent Agenda that contains written recommendations from the
City of Eagle shall be adopted as part of the Design Review's Consent Agenda
approval motion unless specifically stated otherwise.
A. Minutes of April 8,2010.
Butler moves to approve the consent agenda. Seconded by Grubb. ALL
AYE...MOTION CARRIES.
4. UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
A. DR-04-07 MOD - Modification to a Multi-tenant Office Buildine: - Gale Poolev:
Gale Pooley, represented by Shawn Nickel with SLN Planning, is requesting design
review approval to modifY the approved site plan for the 1 ,872-square foot multi-
tenant office building. The proposed modification includes reducing the required 24-
foot drive aisle to 12-feet wide south of the parking on the south side of the building
and the removal of the patio area on the north side of the building. The 0.18-acre site
is located on the south side of East Winding Creek Drive approximately 430-feet
west of Hill Road at 979 East Winding Creek Drive. This item was continued from
the April 8, 2010 meeting.
Butler notes for the record that he was contacted by Gale Pooley who asked him to
represent him on this item. He declined. Butler asks City Attorney, Paul Fitzer if he is
legally able to participate and vote on this application based on his previous knowledge
of the application. Mr. Butler states that he has the ability to render an objective opinion
about this project.
Shawn Nickel, 148 Second Street, addresses the Board. City Planner, Williams
addresses the Board. Discussion. Board discussion with City Attorney, Paul Fitzer.
Board discussion. City Attorney, Paul Fitzer asks member Grubb if he has the ability to
render an objective opinion about this project. Member Grubb states that he does.
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Further discussion with the applicant, Shawn Nicke1.
Grubb moves to deny DR-04-07 MOD - Modification to a Multi-tenant Office
Building with the following comments for City Council to consider that utilities are
not stubbed to the adjacent property. Seconded by McCullough. Discussion.
ALL AYE, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF BUTLER, NAY... MOTION CARRIES.
5. NEW BUSINESS: None.
6. REPORTS:
A. Design Review Board: Walgreens status, building permit has been issued.
B. Staff: None.
7. ADJOURNMENT:
McCullough moves to adjourn at 6:45 pm. Seconded by Grubb. ALL
AYE...MOTION CARRIES.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:
~~\!--~~
SHARON K. BERGMANN
CITY CLERK/TREASURER
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APPROVED:
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ERIC R. MCCULLOUGH
CHAIRMAN
A TRANSCRIBABLE RECORD OF THIS MEETING IS AVAILABLE AT CITY HALL.
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MOORE SMITH BUXTON & TURCKE, CHARTERED
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
BANNER BANK BUILDING
950 W. BANNOCK STREET, SUITE 520, BOISE, ID 83702
TELEPHONE: (208) 331-1800 FAx: (208) 331-1202
TO: Design Review Board, Staff
FROM: Paul J. Fitzer
DATE: April 22, 2010
RE: DR 04-07 MOD - Modification of Pooley Design Review Application
It has been brought to my attention that Mr. Pooley has opted not to present a variance
application to the City, but would still like his application before the Design Review Board to be
processed by that entity. I wish to reiterate some of my concerns raised in my April 7, 2010
memorandum.
I. The Sought -After Relief can only be provided via a Variance
Mr. Pooley is asking this Design Review Board to recommend approval of his
request to reduce the required twenty-four foot (24') paved, drive aisle to twelve feet
(12').1 This sought-after relief is not a modification of the subject property's design
pursuant to ECC 2-2-42, but rather a variance. ECC 2-2-4 is neither the appropriate
medium nor is the Design Review Board the proper venue to evaluate such a request.
While the Design Review Board may review the relative site design of the project
including the Mr. Pooley's request to modify the approved patio/trellis, the Board does
not have the authority to recommend a variance relieving an applicant from complying
1 Eagle City Code 8-4-4-2(F) requires that access for 90 degree parking be provided by a twenty-four (24) foot drive
aisle. Eagle City Code 8-4-3 requires all drive aisles to be paved.
2 Pursuant to ECC 2-2-4, the Design Review Board is vested with the responsibility and jurisdiction to:
... protect property rights and values, enhance important environmental features of the city, and to
ensure that the general appearance of buildings and structures, along with development of the land,
shall not impair or preclude the orderly and harmonious development of the community.
The board shall review all development proposals within the design review district. Within this
district, the board, with input from the zoning administrator, shall regulate landscaping and
beautification laws, review building design, and review site planning, signs, grading, development.
This includes, but is not limited to, the regulation and restriction of the type of building, number of
stories, size of building, construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, or use of buildings and
structures. The board shall ensure compliance with the requirements of the respective design
review overlay districts, city of Eagle comprehensive plan, and relevant ordinances.
with any required Eagle City Code provision; specifically the required width or paving of
a drive aisle.3
In fact, I would caution the Board that were it or the Council to simply grant the
applicant's request to reduce the required paved drive aisle to twelve feet, such would amount to
an implied variance without process. "A city council or county commissioner may not permit an
implied variance violative of land use ordinances."4 Only through a duly noticed variance
proceeding where interested members of the public are provided notice and an opportunity to
testify pertaining to the variance, can the City Council relieve an applicant from complying with
an ordinance.
It has also been asserted that other properties in the City have had reduced drive aisles
approved by the City. While I disagree with the examples cited, which either predate or
otherwise meet the ordinance provisions, I also view this as largely irrelevant. Even if a property
were erroneously permitted to utilize a reduced drive aisle absent a noticed variance procedure,
this does not mandate that all subsequent property owners are entitled to ignore the legal
requirements as well. A police officer is never terribly impressed with the argument that
"because you let the car in front of me go for speeding, you are required to let me go too."
II. CONCLUSION
If Mr. Pooley wishes to have his application be heard this evening pertaining to a
modification of the trellis/patio layout, this is squarely within the purview of the design review
board. However, the Design Review Board does not have the authority to reduce the required
width or paving of the drive aisle. Therefore, this matter should not be deliberated or decision
issued therein.
3 Pursuant to Idaho Code ECC 8-7-4-2, the Council alone is vested with the authority to grant an applicant a variance
thereby relieving the applicant ...
from the terms of this title as will not be contrary to the public interest where, owing to special
conditions, a literal enforcement of the provisions of this title would result in unnecessary
hardship. No nonconforming use of neighboring lands, structures or buildings in the same district
and no permitted or nonconforming use of lands, structures or buildings in other districts shall be
considered grounds for issuance of a variance. Variances shall not be granted on the grounds of
convenience or profit, but only where strict application of the provisions of this title would result
in unnecessary hardship.
A variance may not be granted unless the council makes specific findings of the fact based directly
on the particular evidence presented to it which support conclusions that the above mentioned
standards and conditions have been met by the applicant.
Pursuant to ECC 2-1-5, the Planning and Zoning Commission, not the Design Review Board, is vested with
the authority to conduct a preliminary public hearing on all variance applications prior to proceeding to the City
,01"..‘ Council.
4Hubbard v. Canyon County Com'rs, 106 Idaho 436,437, 680 P.2d 537, 538 (1984).