HomeMy WebLinkAbout1991-01-08 - AGENDA REPORTS - APPEAL OF VARIANCE 90-003 (2)AGENDA REPORT
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DATE: January 8, 1991
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City Manager Ap
Item to be pres
John Medina
SUBJECT: Appeal of Variance 90-003, located at 27227 Sand Canyon
Road adjacent to Warmuth Road.
DEPARTMENT: Community Development
Public Works
BACKGROUND
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The applicants request the City Council remove the adopted County Survey
3030-1 alignment from the City's Master Plan of Highways, to allow for the
construction of a.single family residence.
This item was heard by the City Council on November 13, 1990, as an appeal of
the Planning Commission decision of denial. Speaking in favor of the item was
Don Hale, the engineer for the applicants. The Council then continued the
item to December 11, 1990, to allow. the applicants' engineer and City staff
time to provide additional information regarding sewer accessibility;
suitability of the project site for building structures; and the areas on the
project site subject to the Sand Canyon creek flood -way.
This request for information was in anticipation of developing a possible
compromise which could allow the applicants to reasonably develop their
property while retaining the City's opportunity to widen Sand Canyon Road in
the future. This solution is the redesign of the existing right-of-way (401)
to an expanded 68' width. This width would allow for a four -lane roadway, a
five foot buffer lane, and a ten foot equestrian trail. The City Council
continued the project to allow analysis of the requested information.
The City Council scheduled the item on December 11, 1990. The item was
continued to January 8, 1990, when not all the information was submitted on
time, to allow the Public works Department sufficient time to evaluate the
above required information.
ANALYSIS
Upon review of the proposed circulation element, certain direction given by
the City Council, the Planning Commission and the hydrology data submitted by
the applicant's engineer, we find several areas that are in conflict.
In recalling that the .November 13, 1990 discussion anticipated reducing the
number of feet needed for the front yard setback (i.e., granting the variance)
�` �°° Agenda Item:
• . •
in return for a dedication of land for future Sand Canyon widening, the
additional review has demonstrated significant problems at the rear of the
property based on staff's understanding of previous Council direction and
policy:
1. A full concrete lined channel both sides and bottom would be necessary in
the future to accommodate the proposed .building and a floodway. This
results in less buildable area for the house.
2. Four full lanes, two.lanes in each direction, are necessary to'carry the
expected traffic flow on Sand Canyon Road.
3. If we wish to accommodate pedestrian,. equestrian, bicycle paths, drainage,
a buffer area for each, and the expected traffic flow, a full 103 foot
right-of-way is necessary rather than the earlier 68' discussed as a
possible compromise.
Approval of the project in its original form or our previously proposed
compromise would require new direction regarding treatment of floodways,'
circulation flow on Sand Canyon Road, and what will.be constructed in the
right-of-way for Sand Canyon Road. Staff was not able to anticipate the
interaction of these items until reviewing the new information.
RECOMMENDATION
1) Staff recommends City Council uphold Planning Commission denial of the
proposed variance.
ATTACHMENTS
Public Works Department Report and Attachments
Staff Reports
GEA:189
The Council directed staff to review engineering information submitted on
behalf of Mr. & Mrs. Toyama, relating to three specific concerns.' These were:
1. Availability of sewers in the area.
2. An indication from a soils engineer regarding the suitability of the site
for building structures.
3. The effects of flooding from Sand Canyon Wash on the site.
We have reviewed existing City maps and find that the closest sewer to the
project is at Live Oak Springs Canyon Road and Sand Canyon Road, over one-half
mile away. The project would not be conditioned to provide sanitary sewer
service to the site. Normal processing would require that the new residence
be served with a septic tank and a leach field/seepage pit as approved by the
City in conjunction with the Los Angeles County Health Department.
We have a soils report submitted by Jeffrey S. Gordon indicating that all of
the site is buildable and has no apparent soil restrictions. We would
conclude from the report that the proposed residence could be constructed on
any portion of the lot using normal soil preparation and building construction
standards.
The final issue was the location of the proposed residence on the site as it
related to the impacts of floodways and the widening of Sand Canyon Road.
Although both the flooding and the street widening affect the parcel as a
whole, we will deal with them separately.
The proposed circulation element of the General Plan indicates an expected
average daily traffic flow on Sand Canyon Road of 21,000 vehicles/trips per
day. Based on this traffic flow, -the requirements for Sand Canyon Road are at
least two travel lanes in each direction. In addition, we would recommend a
center. left -turn painted median. Also, there have been expressions by the
Planning Commission and the Parks & Recreation Commission for the inclusion of
pedestrian, bikeways, equestrian trails, and provisions for drainage along
Sand Canyon Road. Attached is a sketch showing how we perceive that all of
these items could be included in a street section for Sand Canyon Road. The
overall roadway, including all of these elements would be 104 feet. This is
four feet greater than the original proposed right-of-way of 100 feet for Sand
Canyon Road.
We have reviewed the information regarding flooding for Sand Canyon Wash and
find that the property is subject to flood hazard from a capital storm in Sand
Canyon. In addition to the information submitted by their engineer which
predicted flooding based on no improvements to the channel, we evaluated Sand
Canyon Wash for what would be required to control flooding within an improved.'
channel area, i.e, one with sides that would prevent erosion and with either a
soft or hard bottom. Our analysis indicates that a channel with both concrete
sides and bottom is the only method of assuring that 'the site is buildable and
allows -an area for future flood control works. The dilemma is that without
full channelized improvements, we cannot carry the expected flow in the
current floodway limits. Since the site needs flood protection improvements
anyway, the.building can be constructed further back from Sand Canyon Road.
Based on all the information we -have reviewed, it appears that the dedication
of the roadway is not the major factor affecting development of the parcel.
The roadway dedication can be accommodated if the flooding to the parcel can
be corrected. Permitting construction on the current site would dictate that
ultimately an improved channel, concrete sides and bottom, would be required
to resolve the flood hazard for Sand Canyon Wash. If a soft bottom channel is
proposed, the residence as currently proposed or, one set back further from
the roadway would be within the future flood channel.
12/26/90
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MR. & MRS. TOYAMA
27227 SAND CANYON ROAD
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AREA SUBJECT TO FLOOD HAZARD 680'
CHANNEL WITH CONCRETE SIDES 9 SOFT
i1E A CONCRETE CHANNEL, SIDES AND BOTTOM, COULD BE CONSTRUCTED
IN THIS AREA TO ACCOMODATE CAPITAL FLOOD
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CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
NOTICE OF A PUBLIC HEARING ON
VARIANCE 90-003 FROM THE YARD REQUIREMENTS
OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE TO ALLOV FOR THE
CONSTRUCTION OF A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE.
PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN:
A Public Hearing will be held before the City Council of the City
of Santa Clarita regarding Variance 90-003 from the yard
requirements of the zoning ordinance to allow for the construction
of a single family residence within County Survey Book 3030-1 which
designates the future 100 foot right -of -wap for Sand Canyon Road.
Project location: 27227 Sand Canyon Road adjacent.to Varmuth.
The hearing will be held by the City Council in the. City Hall
Council Chambers, 23920 Valencia Blvd., 1st Floor, Santa Clarita,
the 13th day of November, 1990, at or after 6:30 p.m.
Proponents, opponents, and any interested persons may appear and be
heard on this matter at that time. Further information may be
obtained by contacting the City Clerk's Office, Santa Clarita City
• Hall, 23920 Valencia Blvd., 3rd Floor, Santa Clarita.
If you wish to challenge this order in court, you may be limited to
raising only those issues your or someone else raised at the public
hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence
delivered to the City Council, at, or prior to, the public hearing.
Dated: October 17, 1990
Donna K. Grindey
City Clerk
Publish Date: October 24th, 1990
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10 10. Mayor Announces Decision
L.
Mayor Opens Hearing
a. States Purpose of Hearing
2.
City Clerk Reports on Hearing Notice
3.
Staff Report
(City Manager)
or
(City Attorney)
or
(RP Staff)
a.
Proponent Argument (30 minutes)
5.
Opponent Argument (30 minutes)
6.
Five-minute Rebuttal (Proponent)
a. Proponent
7.
Mayor Closes Public Testimony
S.
Discussion by Council
9.
Council Decision
10 10. Mayor Announces Decision