Planning Commission Minutes 2015 08 13

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Planning Commission Meeting Minutes August 13, 2015 Page 10 of 22 McCartney says yes, it will be 18" to 24" and raised beds for their access. As far as I know, the rest of the plots are flat. One final comment regarding Harney Lastoka. I bicycle by there and I visited one gardener in the early spring. She said there were seven empty plots. I think someone is not advertising that empty plots exist. I think that is important since there used to be 30+ on a waiting list. Just for clarification, there are 31 residents at Lydia Morgan, 30 units but 31 residents. I think there is some kind of a facility for trash, and mulching is pretty essential. Thank you. Summary and request by Staff. McCartney says we have heard from opposition, but when I was out posting and re -posting the site, each time I was out there, I had three to four people come by and say "Great, there's going to be a garden here." For the most part, it sounded like a good deal of positive comments but there has been some opposition. Staff still supports the use. We have heard from LSAB and from surrounding individuals and think this would be a good use for this site. Staff recommends Planning Commission move to approve Community Garden: Resolution 24, Series 2015. A request to approve for a special review use (SRU) for an agricultural use in residential low (RL) density zone district in order to develop a community garden with up to 45 garden plots and two 80 sf tool sheds on city property near the NW and NE corners of the intersection of Garfield Street and Lincoln Avenue. Questions from Commission for Staff. O'Connell asks about Lydia Morgan residents not being notified. Is that the case? McCartney says our Staff did the 500' notification. I have to think they were contacted. O'Connell asks about the concern of alteration of the floodplain. It will be addressed by separate Board next week. If it comes back that they find there will be an impact, then that would halt the process, especially on the east side where the floodplain is located. Is it possible (if this does move forward) to make a note that there may be debris needing to be cleaned up? How does the PC go about addressing that voiced concern? McCartney says yes, it is a condition of this approval that a flood development plan be approved. This could not go forward without a flood development plan. Staff can bring debris in the ditch forward to Parks and to Public Works as an item we heard from tonight. We will stop at the riparian growth so it wouldn't further impact any of the drainage area. Because we have heard this concern, we can bring it to the departments responsible for that drainage area. Moline asks how does the vegetation growth need to comply with site distance, triangles, and setbacks? McCartney says the site distance triangles on this location are 30' by 30' at intersection. Nothing can grow over 30" in height in that site triangle as it is the requirement throughout the City. This is how we would address any vegetation in the site triangle. Russell asks about fencing. If it is determined at some point that they need fencing, would that be a material alteration or would they come in, pull a permit for a fence, and build it? McCartney says it would be a building permit because it is permitted in this area. It would have to follow the standards in the Louisville Municipal Code (LMC). Russell says experience is indicating that we will not have 30 people out there unless there is some sort of event. Are we clearly articulating performance standards around appearance? What happens if a big pile of compostable material starts to build up? I think the community in this community garden will hold one another accountable, I have no doubt about that. How do we manage these performance standards?