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City Council <br />Meeting Minutes <br />July 10, 2018 <br />Page6of7 <br />Mayor Pro Tem Lipton asked if this affects subdivision agreements and plats. Ritchie <br />stated there are some plats with zoning that could be affected, but generally this is not <br />intended to affect those. Director Zuccaro stated so far they have not found any conflicts <br />with subdivision agreements and lot coverage, but they all need to be reviewed <br />carefully. <br />Councilmember Loo would like staff to be very clear that some of these lots also have <br />HOA regulations that might affect this discussion. We need to be very clear in the <br />explanations since this is a complex discussion and lots of rules apply. <br />Director Zuccaro stated on a day to day basis staff talks to RE homeowners who are <br />frustrated with the nonconformities. It is unusual to have so many nonconforming <br />properties. It is very complex and each neighborhood has its own character we want to <br />respect. It appears there were unintended consequences from policy changes over <br />time, but the intent is not to change the character of any neighborhood. <br />Councilmember Loo would like to know if the Board of Adjustment (BOA) is feeling over <br />burdened by these requests. How much energy and cost is it for staff to address these <br />under the current rules. She wonders if the current system is working other than the <br />cost of taking a case to the BOA. <br />Ritchie stated the process is working but there are people who simply walk away from <br />the counter frustrated about the process. Director Zuccaro stated he is not particularly <br />concerned about staff time or the BOA but is concerned about the large number of <br />residents that are affected and frustrated. Usually someone wants a small addition or <br />change and can't do so because they are already at the maximum lot coverage. Staff <br />doesn't anticipate huge additions, just some flexibility. <br />Councilmember Stolzmann felt the current situation is not working and it would be better <br />if there were good standards to apply. She stated good data and visuals showing what <br />changes will look like will help explain this to residents. <br />Councilmember Leh stated it is a burden on citizens and should be addressed. It is <br />complex and will take some good explanations for people to understand this issue. He <br />appreciated what staff had put together for Council review. He suggested a list of <br />frequently asked questions. <br />Mayor Pro Tem Lipton asked how a property with a current variance would be handled <br />under the new regulations. Planner Ritchie noted staff will consider that and bring it <br />back as a talking point. <br />Councilmember Loo asked how you explain why smaller lots get higher lot coverage. <br />Ritchie stated the larger lots were intended to feel more spacious but still get a large <br />home. The reasonable home size on a smaller lot as a percentage needs to be larger. <br />