4910 S 4TH AVE 2016-01-01 MF Import

A. Lot Status—All parcel:a appear to be leyal lots and meet the minimum lot requirements (or ihe F.-2 zone. The City certified the lots in a Iotter dated .;ul� 1997. B. F.nvironmentally Sensitive Area Findings: • The parcels consisf of unplatted lots. The lots are bounded by I-5 to the west, 49'h Street to the s�ulh and S, Fourth Avenue to the east; • The site is primarily forested, with both an underslory (shrub) and ov�rstory canopy (primarily deciduous trees,). There are some disturbed areas near the I-5 right-of-way and some �lackberries. The vcgetation on the site is well documentc�d in greater detail in the WeUand Delineation report, revised December 23, 2008. The site co itains a Category III scrub-shrub wetiand, located o� the lots north of :he proposed dupiex site. Under EMC Chapter 19.37.140, Category III �veUands scoring less than 19 in habitat value are required to have :. buffer of 60 feet consisting of native vegetation. The site also contains a Type F stream (Bigelow Creek). Type F streanu are roquired W hav� a bu(fer of 150 feet when the buffer is in a dislurbed stale. The stream is located approximately 150 (eet south of the proposed duplex site. The welland and slream are shown in the wetland report. The proposed duplex and road access �vould leave an approximately 20-(oot buffer (rom lhe wetiand. • There is a steep siope (grealer than 40%) lhat extends from just south o( the proposecl duplex site and forms a portion o( lhe �igeiow Creek ravine. The proposed duplex would have a 15-fool building setback from the top•of-slope. A soils report dated August 5, 1999 was provided with lhe original application, This report conuludes that the top-of- bank selback can be reduced to 15 feet without impacting lhe slope or the future residence. • Toc�ether lhe stream, weUand and steep slope areas result in almost all of the site being classified as critical area or buffer, it would r,ot be possible to locats a new residential structure on lhe site that meets the protectivo requireinents of EMC Chapter 19.37. REASONABLE USE EVALUATION CRITERIA This section addresses the reasonable use criteria ln Subsection 37.050.8.2 of the Zoning Code 1. Thore is no othor reasonable use or feasible alternativa to the proposed dovelopment with less impact on the environmentalty sensitive area. Finding: Over ihe last several years, many different development scenarios have been discussed belween the appiicant and the City. One prior proposal included a 5•lot residential short plat. Another proposal included construclion of several duplexes on the site. In each case, lhe City determined that substantial impacts on environmentally sensilive areas would occur and that miligation of these impacls �vould need to be provided. Further difficulties included providing adequato fire access, drainage and ulilities to the site. Conclusion: Olher alternalives havo been examined by the City and �vere determined to have signi(icant impacls on evetlands and steep slopes. Tiie proposed duplex can be constructed so as lo rninimize these impacts and provides (urther mitigation lhrough buffer enhancement. �c:�l 2930 R'chuarc, tiuitc Y-:\, I:��crclt, \�',� 9 OIJJ94� � 8' (�t25) 257-3731, Fas (4?5) ?57-R7d2