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ORIGINAL
CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE PLANNING COMMISSION
Minutes of Meeting
October 5, 2000
1. CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order by Chair
MacDOUGALL at 7:30 p.m., October 5, 2000, in the City Council Chambers of the Municipal
Building, 7500 West 29th Avenue, Wheat Ridge, Colorado.
2. ROLL CALL:
Commission Members Present:
Paulette Cooper
Dick Doyle
Dean Gokey
Don MacDougall
Marian McNamee
Nancy Snow
Janice Thompson
Commissioners Absent:
Jerry Collins (excused)
Staff Members Present:
Alan White, Planning Director
Meredith Reckert, Sr. Planner
Greg Knudson, City Engineer
Mike Garcia, Development Review Engineer
Ann Lazzeri, Secretary
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The following is the official set of Planning Commission minutes for the public hearing of October 5,
2000. A set of these minutes is retained both in the office of the City Clerk and in the Department of
Planning and Development of the City of Wheat Ridge.
4. APPROVAL OF ORDER OF THE AGENDA
It was moved by Commissioner SNOW and seconded by Commissioner GOKEY to
approve the order ofthe agenda as presented. The motion passed 7-0 with Commissioner
COLLINS absent.
5. AP,PROV AL OF MINUTES
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October 5, 2000
Page 1
It was moved by Commissioner SNOW and seconded by Commissioner McNAMEE to
approve the minutes of September 21, 2000 as presented. The motion passed 6-0 with
Commissioner COLLINS absent and Commissioner GOKEY abstaining.
6. PUBLIC FORUM
There was no one to appear before the Commission.
7. PUBLIC HEARING
A. Case No. WZ-00-06: An application by Vince Hopkins ofVH Construction for
approval ofa rezoning from Residential-Three (R-3) and Commercial-One (C-1) to a
Planned Residential Development and for approval of an outline and combined
preliminary and final development plan and plat for property located at 4445 Parfet
Street. This application also includes a request for a 2-lot minor subdivision for
properties located at 4445 Parfet Street and 11050 West 45th Avenue.
This case was presented by Meredith Reckert. She submitted copies of a letter from Jill
Reasoner, 4375 Pierson Street, to members of the Commission. The letter, indicating Ms.
Reasoner's objection to the application, was entered into the record and made a part of the case
file. After the Commission had opportunity to read the letter, Ms. Reckert reviewed the staff
report and presented slides and overheads of the subject property. All pertinent documents
were entered into the record and she advised the Commission they had jurisdiction to hear the
case. Staff recommended approval of the application with conditions as outlined in the staff
report.
In response to questions from Commissioner THOMPSON about drainage, Greg Knudson
explained that all drainage will be directed away from the west by swails between the lots and
along the western property line to the detention area and down to Parfet Street.
Commissioner THOMPSON suggested that, since a 12-foot garage is really not large enough to
accommodate wheelchair access from an automobile, a carport may be an alternative to a
garage for the handicapped unit.
Commissioner GOKEY expressed concern that an eight-foot fence would be extremely
unsightly.
In response to questions from Commissioner THOMPSON, Meredith Reckert stated that the
city arborist recommended ornamental trees be planted every twenty feet. The trees would be
planted by the developer.
Vince Hopkins
1090 Secrest, Golden
Mr. Hopkins, the applicant, was sworn in by Chair MacDOUGALL. In regard to an earlier
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October 5, 2000
question, Mr. Hopkins eXplained that foundation of the house is elevated to compensate for the
setback from the street to allow drainage to flow away from the house. The total height of the
house will be 27 feet.
In regard to the eight-foot fence, Mr. Hopkins stated that he plans to plant trees every twenty
feet to serve as a buffer and indicated he would be willing to plant additional trees.
Commissioner SNOW suggested that the handicapped unit be placed on the opposite end ofthe
units to allow room for a garage because she believed garages are very important for the
handicapped. The applicant stated that the garages are too small to allow handicapped access
from a car into the house and, further, there would be two units without a garage because the
one end unit cannot have a garage due to the existing power lines. Cotnmissioner GOKEY
commented that he has two handicapped neighbors who never use their garages to access their
houses.
In response to a question from Commissioner GOKEY, Meredith Reckert replied that, while
there is a requirement for a certain percentage of handicapped units, there is no requirement that
handicapped units must have garages.
Chair MacDOUGALL asked if there were others present who wished to address this matter.
There was no response.
It was moved by Commissioner SNOW and seconded by Commissioner GOKEY that the
request for approval of a two-lot minor subdivision for property located at 4445 Parfet
Street and 11050 West 45th Avenue be recommended for APPROVAL for the following
reasons:
1. A subdivision would be required to separate the northern portion of the property
from the southern R-2 zoned property.
2. The minimums of the R-2 district have been met.
3. With minor corrections, all requirements of the Subdivision Regulations will have
been met.
With the following conditions:
1. Minor corrections, as recommended by city staff, be made prior to the public
hearing before City Council.
2. The developer be required to contribute 5% of the land value for park land
purposes at the request of the Parks Commission and that this be paid prior to the
recording ofthe development plan and plat.
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October 5, 2000
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3. The license agreement with Public Service Company shall be signed prior to
recordation ofthe plat.
The motion passed 7-0 with Commissioner COLLINS absent.
It was moved by Commissioner THOMPSON and seconded by Commissioner
McNAMEE that Case No. WZ-00-06, a request for approval of a zone change from
Residential-Three and Commercial-One to Planned Residential District and for approval
of an outline development plan for property located at 4445 Parfet Street be
recommended for APPROVAL for the following reasons:
1. The proposed strip of C-l property cannot reasonably be developed under the
existing conditions.
2. It is generally desirable to have zoning lines run with lot lines.
3. Eight duplex units will have lesser impact than what could be developed on the
property under current zoning conditions.
4. The applicant has reduced the number of units from ten to eight.
Commissioner SNOW offered a friendly amendment requiring the footprint to be
changed to provide garages for the handicapped units and, if it is necessary to eliminate a
garage from other units that it be eliminated from one of the other three duplex units.
Commissioner THOMPSON expressed concern about the impact of eliminating another garage
in the development. Although she would like to see garages for the handicapped, such garages
would have to be functional in allowing wheelchair access from the car into the house.
Commissioner SNOW responded that garages can be designed to allow such wheelchair access
from the car into the house. She also pointed out that there are handicapped individuals who do
not require a wheelchair van.
Commissioner GOKEY stated his opinion that such a requirement would place an undue
hardship on the developer to change his plans at this point and create units which are not
rentable.
Commissioner DOYLE suggested that the duplex on the south side have one large garage
instead of two smaller ones which would allow room to make a handicapped accessible garage
for one unit. The other unit would not then have a garage.
Commissioner McNAMEE asked the applicant ifthe present unit which is presently designed
to meet handicapped specifications were changed, would it be necessary to redesign the entire
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October 5, 2000
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building. Mr. Hopkins replied that it would be necessary to do a complete redesign including
elevations, etc.
In answer to a question from Commissioner COOPER, Meredith Reckert replied that a carport
would be also precluded from being built in the easement.
Commissioner THOMPSON did not accept Commissioner SNOW's amendment. She
believed the plan is a good one, especially in light of alternative developments which could go
in this location.
Commissioner SNOW indicated that she would not support the motion because she felt it was
unfortunate that the city would participate in a plan which treats disabled people differently
than those who are not by not providing the same amenities (garage) when it is possible to do
so.
The motion passed by a vote of 6-1 with Commissioner SNOW voting no and
Commissioner COLLINS absent.
It was moved by Commissioner THOMPSON and seconded by Commissioner GOKEY
that the request for approval of a planned residential development final development plan
for property located at 4445 Parfet Street be recommended for APPROVAL for the
following reasons:
1. The proposed duplexes will have a lesser impact on adjacent property than what
could be built under current zoning conditions.
2. The existing PSC easement crossing the property hinders developability of it.
3. . The developer has tried to mitigate impacts to the adjacent residences to the west
by erection of a solid fence and the planting of Qrnamental trees at twenty-foot
intervals.
With the following conditions:
1. Minor corrections be made prior to the public hearing before City Council
2. The private drive be constructed to the City's standard for pavement thickness.
3. The homeowners association covenants be reviewed for maintenance provisions by
staff and the city attorney prior to the City Council public hearing.
4. An equivalent caliper inch oftrees be replaced on the property.
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October 5, 2000
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5. The developer be required to contribute 5% of the land value for park land
purposes and that this be paid prior to the recording of the development plan and
plat.
6. The fence along the west property line shall be required to be eight feet in height
unless, at the time of construction, the property owners adjacent to the west of this
property unanimously agree that it can be reduced to six feet in height.
Commissioner GOKEY moved and Commissioner SNOW seconded to amend condition
no. 6 to read: "A solid wood fence along the west property line shall be required to be six
feet in height." The motion for amendment failed with Commissioners COOPER,
McNAMEE, THOMPSON, and SNOW voting no and Commissioner COLLINS absent.
A vote was taken on the original motion. The motion passed 6-1 with Commissioner SNOW
voting no and Commissioner COLLINS absent.
8. CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING
Chair MacDOUGALL declared the public hearing closed.
9. OLD BUSINESS
There was no old business to come before the Commission.
10. NEW BUSINESS
There was no new business to come before the Commission.
11. COMMISSION REPORTS
There were no Commission reports.
12. COMMITTEE AND DEPARTMENT REPORTS
There were no committee or department reports.
13. ADJOURNMENT
It was moved by Commissioner SNOW and seconded by Commissioner GOKEY to
adjourn the meeting at 9:25 p.m. The motion passed 7-0 with Commissioner COLLINS
absent.
aA'~CA{'
Ann Lazzeri, Recor g ecretary
Planning Commission
October 5, 2000
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