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<br />Regular City Council Meeting <br />Monday, February 12, 2007 <br />Page 16 of 30 <br /> <br />Mr. Heckert spoke in opposition to the project opining that with the morato- <br />rium in place it should provide reason enough for denial; and allow time to <br />address the nature and character of lots in the area related to the size of lots <br />surrounding the property in question. Mr. Heckert further opined that this <br />area was well developed since the neighborhood was platted in 1941, and by <br />allowing hodgepodge development such as this proposal, previous planning <br />was being undone and was a disservice to residents having previously pur- <br />chased their properties expecting their property values to be retained and <br />stable. <br /> <br />Leslie Studenski, 3055 Woodbridge Street <br />Ms. Studenski spoke in opposition to the project provided a map prepared by <br />her husband, an engineer, that had been drawn from scale from information <br />provided in the Agenda packet, and a typical car to scale, showing their in- <br />terpretation of problematic issues with the proposed driveway and property <br />setbacks. Ms. Studenski opined that the lot was not subdividable into two <br />single- family lots according to current code. <br /> <br />Substantial discussion ensued among Councilmembers regarding interpreta- <br />tion of "substantially at right angles;" strict mathematical determinations; <br />standard lot shapes based on topography and shoreline considerations; lot <br />lines drawn to achieve minimum dimensions; ordinance intent for objective <br />standards; function of proposed driveway for Parcel Band buildability of <br />that parcel; criteria for subdivision; proportion to other lots in area; morato- <br />rium in place, and study ready to launch to look at specific questions similar <br />to this; and need for flexibility for new homes in first-ring suburbs as they <br />redeveloped. <br /> <br />Further discussion included the notion of substantially perpendicular and ra- <br />dial lines, dealing with geographical impediments or roads, and how the <br />proposed line cut into the properties over the length of the line; and con- <br />straints of the existing house and garage and options to move them and <br />eliminate those constraints, rather than attempting to request deviation from <br />established standards. Additional discussion included ordinance language <br />and interpretation of substantial right angles or radials, and whether 50% <br />was considered substantial or not; and whether efforts of the applicant to as- <br />suage economic considerations provided rationale for deviation from ordi- <br />nance language. <br />