Twin Cities Times
The Larkspur City Council will hold a public hearing to consider allowing residents of the Rose Garden subdivision who own property with backyards along Larkspur Creek to build structures closer to the creek bank.
The current Central Larkspur Area Specific Plan (CLASP) and the Precise Development Plan for the subdivision requires a 50-foot setback from the creek bank.
The issue first came up on Dec. 1, 2021, at which time the Council asked staff to investigate. Staff came back at the April 6 meeting and concluded there would be no impact in allowing building closer to the bank.
Although the Council did not take a formal vote, all members appeared in favor of accepting the staff report. It will now move to a full public hearing at the next City Council meeting.
Staff told the Council that “drainage impacts would be negligible” if the Council decided to change the set back rule and recommended the issue not go back to the Planning Commission and instead move directly to a public hearing.
One member of the public spoke to the Council on the issue on April 6 and said he was “happy to see this staff report.”
Mayor Mayor Dan Hlllmer thanked the speaker for his comments “and your smile.”
The April 6 meeting was the first “hybrid” meeting post COVID-19, meaning that some council and staff were in the same room for the meeting, while others attended remotely.
At last year’s meeting, the City Council considered an application from residents of the Rose Garden subdivision who own property with backyards situated along Larkspur Creek. Residents sought to reduce the setback requirement that restricts introducing building and impervious surfaces within 50 feet of the creek bank to 25 feet.
The staff report read: “As requested by the applicant and supported by staff, the proposed amendment would lift the restrictions on impervious surfaces and structures within the fenced rear yards of Lots 22-29. The improvements permitted in the rear yards of these lots would then be in keeping with other single-family residential lots in the subdivision.”
It continued: “The Precise Development plan refers to the R-1 zoning district for permitted accessory structures. Typical accessory structures could include a range of items, such as arbors, shade structures, built in BBQ’s, or outdoor kitchens, etc. However, the permitted floor area for residential structures is specified for each lot in the Precise Plan. Therefore, detached structures that add floor area would not be allowed, except as specified below.”
However, the City Engineer determined that the drainage and stormwater runoff system for the Rose Garden Subdivision was “designed to account for Lots 22-29 as if they were permitted hardscaping in the entire rear yard. Therefore, restrictions on the percentage of hardscaping or size of accessory structures does not appear to result in any benefit with regard to drainage and stormwater runoff.”
(Twin Cities Times is one of six weekly newspapers in Marin County published by Marinscope Community Newspapers. All the newspapers are fully adjudicated. The website for the newspapers can be found at MarinLocalNews.com. News releases, comments and advertising inquiries can be directed to Publisher Sherman R. Frederick via email at shermfrederick@gmail.com.)
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