TO: Chair and Planning Commission Members
FROM: Paul Mood, Town Engineer
DATE: September 15, 2020
DEPARTMENT: Engineering Department
Staff Contact Paul Mood, Town Engineer, 480-348-3573
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AGENDA TITLE:
Title
Discussion of Building Pad Heights for Non-Hillside Lots
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SUMMARY STATEMENT:
At the May 14, 2020 and June 25, 2020 Town Council Work Studies, staff presented material regarding building pad heights on non-hillside lots which is one of the more frequent development related questions associated with new construction. When vacant lots are developed, or existing properties redeveloped building pad heights and overall allowable structure heights are often questioned by surrounding property owners.
Town Code Section 5-10-5, B,2, a states that "The building pad shall not exceed two (2) feet in height except where required to protect the building against flooding, in which case the pad shall be one (1) foot above the water surface elevation of the 100-year event".
This section of the Town Code does not state where the height of the building pad shall be measured from and is open to interpretation. Historically, staff has interpreted the height of the building pad to be taken from the "natural grade" of the lot. This can create a situation where the building pad is not level. In order to get a level building pad, developers may add non-earthen material such as slurry, a thickened concrete pad or use stem walls and a framed floor to create a level building area. If these construction methods are used to create a level building surface it does not change the elevation of the "lowest natural grade" from which the overall height of the structure is measured from.
Information was presented at the Town Council Work Studies regarding information on surrounding municipal codes related to building pads and residential structure heights, visual impacts to properties and potential code amendments to require residential properties to more closely fo...
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