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Home My WebLink AboutA. HPR/PP 08-259 CITY OF PALM DESERT DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLANNING COMMISION STAFF REPORT REQUEST: Approval of a preliminary building site for a five-acre parcel of land in the Hillside Planned Residential zone pursuant to the requirements of section 25.15.130 (Optional Preliminary Approval) of the Palm Desert Municipal Code. Said request does not qualify as a project under CEQA guidelines; no environmental studies shall be required at this time. Property is located west of the Palm Valley Storm Channel on Upper Way West, (APN: 628-130-015, Barracuda, LLC., Bruce Kuykendall, Applicant). SUBMITTED BY: Renee Schrader Associate Planner APPLICANT: Bruce Kuykendall Barracuda, LLC. P.O. Box 4737 Palm Desert, CA 92261 CASE NO: HPR/PP 08-259 DATE: July 1, 2008 I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Approval of this request will recommend an appropriate building site for a home on a five-acre lot within the Hillside Planned Residential Zone (HPR). II. BACKGROUND: A. Hillside Planned Residential Zone: The HPR zone was amended in April of 2007. Key changes to the ordinance are as follows: Ridge Top Development— The current HPR ordinance defines a ridge and also prohibits any development on or across ridges within the hillside. Ridges defined in the ordinance are identified on the attached map in red lines. Staff Report July 1, 2008 Page 2 of 4 Development Standards — The ordinance also states that 'Building pads and architecture shall be designed to eliminate or minimize any visual impact on the City to the maximum extent feasible.' The HPR zone includes a section regarding `Optional Preliminary Approval' (PDMC 25.15.130 attached). Under this section of the Municipal Code, applicants may propose standards of development for the property, including building site location and access road location. Once a preliminary site is approved by the Planning Commission, the applicant can prepare the necessary documents, including the architectural design, for the full Precise Plan submittal as required by the HPR zone. B. Property Description: The applicant, Mr. Bruce Kuykendall, purchased the property in 2003. An approximately 18,000 square foot pad (referred in this report as Pad #1) was previously graded in the 1960's. Surrounding the pad, the topography of the site is very steep and difficult to develop. An additional pad (referred in this report as Pad #2), was graded sometime later and is approximately one third the size of Pad#1. Pad #1 is located at the center of the property and on top of a ridge. Pad #2 is located on the down slope of the property's east side very near the property line. C. Adjacent Zoning and Land Use: North: Hillside Planned ResidentiaWacant Property South: Hillside Planned Residential/Existing Stone Eagle Development Company East: Hillside Planned ResidentiaWacant Property West: Hillside Planned ResidentiaVExisting Single-family Residence III. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The HPR zone allows the Planning Commission to approve a preliminary building site, which can also include consideration of the density of development and access road information. The applicant proposes to utilize Pad #1. In order to build with sufficient space for a home and garage, the pad would be lowered and expanded somewhat on the south side. It is proposed that berming on the north side and re-naturalization of the slope that faces the valley floor would be constructed. A few view areas recessed in the berm would allow the resident of the proposed home a view. With this treatment the building is proposed to be fairly concealed from the north elevation. With respect to access, the applicant proposes to link a drive from the existing Upper Way West road to the home from the southwest side of the property. Staff Report July 1, 2008 Page 3 of 4 IV. ANALYSIS The applicant's property encompasses land on both sides of a steep hill. The prohibition of developing on a ridge has made more challenging his ability to build a home successfully. In an attempt to locate viable solutions, staff has visited the site and consulted with the applicant. It appears that the applicant's choices are limited to building on the portion of the site located on the relatively flat area indicated as Proposed Pad #1 on the attached map. The subject property and the existing graded pad occur on a ridge. There is an existing road that runs along the northern portion of the subject property. An access drive could be constructed from the road which would access the proposed building site from the south. Staff has reviewed the site plan and believes that only one other possibility for development of a single-family home exists, and it may pose development difficulties. The alternative development site is the area indicated on the site plan as Proposed Pad #2, located at the eastern edge of the property and on the downward slope of the ridge. Pad #2 sits at an approximate elevation of 618 feet, which is approximately 55 feet lower than Pad #1 higher on the ridge. Developing on Pad #2 would require that the slope be substantially graded to create a pad large enough for a home. In order to expand Pad #2, cutting into the hillside would be required. Grading Pad #2 sufficiently to create a residential site would result in greater visual impact and environmental disruption to the hillside than would the type of mitigation necessary to build on Pad #1. The alternative, Pad #2, would also require an access easement from the property owners to the east in order to construct a drive to the residence. The drive to access Pad #2 would be much steeper and more difficult for construction to access the home. The existing access road serving the single family residences to the west (uphill) of the subject site runs directly across the northern portion of the applicant's property. Staff believes that the applicant could route a drive that would gradually increase approximately 13 feet in elevation from the existing road, curve around a knoll on the subject property, and provide appropriate access to build a home on Pad #1. In addition, the applicant could conceal the home from the valley floor by extending Pad #1 on the back side (south) of the slope and by creating berms and restoring the natural landscape. Staff Report July 1, 2008 Page 4 of 4 Staff believes the applicant could successfully build a home on Pad #1 that would conform to the intent of HPR zone. V. CONCLUSION: Staff has identified two development options for consideration. Pad #1 is the easier option; however, it is located on a defined ridge. While the applicant believes this location could be developed in a manner consistent with the goals and policies of the HPR zone, staff generally discourages development on ridges. Pad #2 would provide the applicant with a potential building site lower than Pad #1. Unfortunately, this option would have greater visual impacts and would require creating an access that would further disturb the hillside. However, it is a potential alternative that should be given consideration, since it would eliminate new construction on this ridge top. VI. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Planning Commission direct the applicant to proceed with the Proposed Pad #1, including grading, berming, and renaturalization work necessary to obscure view of the home and improvements from the valley floor, per the Hillside Planned Residential Zone section 25.15.130 'Optional Preliminary Approval.' VII. ATTACHMENTS: A. Plans & Exhibits Submitted By: Department Head: Renee Sch er Lauri Aylaian Associate Planner Director of Community Development Approv . omer Croy ACM, Dev ment Services