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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Resolution 95-02 RESOLUTION 95 - 02 RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SARATOGA GRANTING AN APPEAL FROM THE DECISION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION V-94-015; BARKAS; 13245 PADERO COURT WHEREAS, Mr. Barkas, the applicant, has applied for variance approval to allow the subject property to be under the minimum lot size requirement based on the property's new average site slope, as a result of a proposed lot line adjustment; and WHEREAS, on November 22, 1994, the Planning Commission of the City of Saratoga held a duly noticed public hearing on said application at which time all interested parties were given a full opportunity to be heard and to present evidence and following the conclusion thereof, the Planning Commission, denied the application; and WHEREAS, Mr. Chadwick has appealed the denial of the Planning Commission to the City Council; and WHEREAS, on January 4, 1995, the City Council conducted a de novo public hearing on the appeal at which time any person interested in the matter was given a full opportunity to be heard; and WHEREAS, the City Council reviewed and considered the staff report, minutes of proceedings conducted by the commission relating to the application, and the written and oral evidence presented to the City Council in support of and in opposition to the appeal. NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Saratoga as follows: 1. By split vote of the City Council (Councilmember Moran voting in opposition) the appeal from the Planning Commission is hereby granted and the decision of the.Planning Commission is reversed, to wit: The applicant has met the burden of proof required to support the application and the following findings have been determined: a. Because of special circumstances applicable to the subject property, including size, shape, topography, location of existing structures thereon or surroundings, strict enforcement of the specified regulations would deprive the applicant of privileges enjoyed by owners of properties in the vicinity and classified in the same zoning district, in that the portion of the property to be relocated by a lot line adjustment to the 1 uphill adjacent property, which relocation results in the need for this variance, is property that is located at the uppermost portion of the subject property and is accessible only by traversing a very steep slope on the subject property, or by accessing the property from ~he adjacent property. This lack of reasonable access to the uppermost portion of the property causes practical difficulty and unnecessary physical hardship in the applicant~s ability to reasonably maintain and to make reasonable use of, the property, a privilege enjoyed by many properties within the immediate neighborhood. Additionally, the practical inability to maintain the property in accordance with the requirements of the Saratoga Fire District, could result in the property becoming a fire hazard. b. The granting of the variance will not constitute a grant of special privilege inconsistent with the limitations on other properties inthe vicinity and classified in the same zoning district in that the size of the property, reduced by the proposed lot line adjustment is consistent with the size of many other properties located within the immediate neighborhood. c. The granting of the'variance will not be detrimental to the public health, safety or welfare or materially injurious to properties or improvements in the vicinity in that the existing residence on the property will continue to meet all City square footage and setback requirements, and the public health, safety and welfare will be enhanced by the uppermost portion of the property being relocated and transferred to the ownership of the uphill property owner, thereby disposing of the practical difficulty of the applicant having to.maintain for fire protection purposes, a virtually inaccessible portion of the property. 2. The application of Barkas for variance approval be and the same is hereby granted subject to the following conditions: a. Applicant agrees to hold City harmless from all costs and expenses, including attorney~s fees, incurred by the City or held to be the liability of the City in connection with City~s defense of its actions in any proceeding brought in any state or federal court, challenging the City~s action with respect to the applicant~s project. b. Noncompliance with any of the conditions of this permit shall constitute a violation of the permit. Because it is impossible to estimate damages the City could incur due to the violation, liquidated damages of $250 shall be payable to the City for each day of the violation. c. All applicable requirements of the state, county, city and other governmental entities must be met. Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Saratoga held on the .. 18th day of January , 1995, by the following vote: AYES: ODunci~s Jacobs, Moran, Wolfe, and Mayor Burger NOES: None ABSENT: O3unci~ Tucker ABSTAIN:None Mayo~ ATTEST: Deputy City January ll, 1995 273\res\v-94-015 .msr 3