07-03-2018 Planning CommissionJuly 3, 2018
The Scandia Planning Commission held their regular monthly meeting on the above date.
The following were in attendance: Commissioners Greg Amundson, Jan Hogle, Perry Rynders
and Chair Dan Squyres. Absent: Commissioner Travis Loeffler. Staff present: City Planner
Sherri Buss, City Administrator Neil Soltis and Deputy Clerk Brenda Eklund.
Chair Squyres called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA, MINUTES
Introduction of newly appointed Planning Commissioner Perry Rynders was added as Agenda
Item 3.b). Hogle, seconded by Amundson, moved to approve the agenda as amended. The
motion carried 4-0.
Hogle, seconded by Amundson, moved to approve the June 5, 2018 meeting minutes as
presented. The motion carried 4-0.
PLANNING COMMISSIONER RYNDERS
Introductions were made welcoming newly appointed Commissioner Perry Rynders. Rynders
was appointed by the City Council to fill Commissioner Noyes' term (February 1, 2021).
DISCUSSION ON ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 3, LIVESTOCK
OPERATIONS AND SETBACKS FOR ACCESSORY STRUCTURES FOR LIVESTOCK
Continued from the May meeting, Planner Buss described the ordinance revisions to the
development code to allow the keeping of domestic fowl on small lots and to allow smaller
setbacks for the structures that house them. Currently setbacks for accessory structures used to
shelter domestic farm animals must be 100' from the property line, a distance that cannot be met
on small parcels. A new section 4.16 Domestic Fowl on Lots Smaller Than 5 Acres, was
introduced to provide standards that would replace paragraph (D), waiving density requirements
for keeping fowl, of section 4.15 Livestock and Livestock Operations in the current code that
allows keeping poultry based on animal units.
Buss explained that the ordinance revisions would prohibit all Guinea fowl and roosters on lots
less than 5 acres. Commissioners noted that peacocks should also be prohibited due to potential
noise impacts. The draft ordinance limits the number of fowl to 5 per acre and would require an
administrative permit for keeping more than 5 fowl so that setbacks and other standards can be
checked on. Administrator Soltis recommended that buildable area be defined to exclude public
water from the calculation for acreage.
The Commissioners discussed the smaller structure setbacks and agreed with the language that
coops greater than 120 square feet and permanently grounded should comply with the accessory
structure standards of Section 3.2 for number and size, and the setbacks for the parcel's zoning
district (40' from front, 20' side on lots greater than an acre, 10' side on lots smaller than an acre,
and 50' from the rear lot line). As well, a distance of 20' from an adjacent dwelling must be
maintained. Commissioner Hogle said that mobile coops used to move flocks to different areas
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of the parcel could be omitted from setbacks because there may not be an enforceable method to
monitor these. Administrator Soltis noted that language should allow for an administrative
exception when physical characteristics of the property would not allow the structure to be
placed in the rear of the lot.
Commissioners agreed to strike (D)4, which would prohibit fowl from being kept inside a
residence. Commissioner Hogle noted there could be instances for the health of the animal when
this is necessary. Minimum floor size of the coop in (D)6, (D)10 regulating food storage, and the
last sentence of (D)11 mandating daily cleaning of the structure were eliminated from the draft
ordinance.
Commissioners agreed that a public hearing on the revised ordinance should be scheduled for the
August 7th Planning Commission meeting.
DISCUSSION ON ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 3, SECTION 3.6
LAND ALTERATION AND GRADING
Planner Buss explained that the Council asked for amendments to the land alteration and grading
section of Chapter 2 of the Development Code due to several issues in which grading activities
have impacted neighboring properties and rights of ways. Staff prepared a draft ordinance to
address these concerns.
Buss explained the potential changes to reduce the threshold for when a permit is needed from 50
to 10 cubic yards of land alteration and grading, or to 600 square feet of land area, down from
the current 1,000 square feet. Buss noted that these are the same thresholds as adopted in the
shoreland ordinance update.
The current exemption for projects needing a building permit would be eliminated to allow for
the City Engineer to review a separate grading permit and perform onsite inspections. Fees
would be collected to recover the costs of the Engineer's review.
In discussion, the Commissioners recommended changes to the draft ordinance as follows:
• Remove "private" from (2)(D) — reasoning that the City would not be involved in settling
disputes between private properties, only those that impact public property.
• Include "regular maintenance to existing driveways" as an exemption in paragraph (3).
• Change to scale of drawings in paragraph (5) to 1" equals 10 feet or a reasonable scale
that is appropriate and legible.
Buss concluded with noting the addition of (6)(D) requiring a permit for work on slopes greater
than 18%, and the addition of (8)(H) to allow a City inspection before resuming work halted by a
stop work order.
Commissioners agreed that a public hearing on the revised ordinance should be scheduled for the
August 7th Planning Commission meeting.
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ITEMS FOR FUTURE AGENDAS
Administrator Soltis described several pending zoning applications. Planner Buss reported that
staff is waiting on the requested survey from Reicherts' tabled amended CUP application.
ADJOURNMENT
Hogle, seconded by Rynders, moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried 4-0.
The meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Brenda Eklund
Deputy Clerk