Olivette planning commission approves three single‑family site plans with staff conditions

The Olivette Planning and Community Design Commission voted unanimously June 26 to approve three separate site‑plan, community‑design and concept stormwater management petitions for new single‑family homes at 11 Saint Alfred Road, 1022 Dolores Avenue and 7 Lisa Drive.

The approvals allow each petitioner to proceed to the building‑permit stage but include staff conditions on remaining technical items such as final landscape plans, stormwater consultant comments and removal or relocation of required side‑yard obstructions.

At 11 Saint Alfred Road, staff and the commission accepted revised stormwater calculations after the applicant adjusted how rooftop area and artificial turf were counted for detention. The permit for the retaining wall was left to a building permit coordinated with the adjacent property owner; staff said the parties must resolve any easement or liability issues between themselves before permits are issued. The commission approved the site plan 4–0; staff advised the next step is applying for building permits.

At 1022 Dolores Avenue, staff flagged multiple side‑yard obstructions on a tight 50‑foot‑wide lot — proposed window wells, a small concrete stoop at a side garage exit and a mounted air‑conditioning unit — and said the zoning definition requires side setbacks to remain unobstructed from grade to the sky. The applicant agreed on the record to relocate the primary window well to the rear, move AC units behind the house and coordinate removal or redesign of the stoop so grading and stormwater function are not impaired. The commission approved the petition 4–0 with staff conditions that the obstructions be removed or redesigns be administratively approved and that the petitioner submit a landscape/ arborist plan before building permit application.

At 7 Lisa Drive, staff asked the commission to weigh guideline items including whether the front elevation met the city’s 50% masonry guideline, the proximity of a proposed replacement tree to a stormwater detention pit, and an existing driveway slope that exceeded the city’s preferred 8 percent maximum without public‑works authorization. The applicant’s builder explained the lot falls approximately 27 feet from back to front and that the design was adjusted from an initial three‑car side‑entry plan to a courtyard plan to address slope constraints. Commissioners considered the streetscape context and landscaping shown in the submitted plan and approved the petition 4–0, subject to consultant stormwater review and final landscape/species confirmation before permit issuance.

Decisions were narrowly procedural: commissioners granted approval of the petitions but left remaining technical and plan‑check items to staff (stormwater consultant comments, final landscape plans and building permits). For the retaining wall at 11 Saint Alfred the commission required signatures from both property owners on related permits so each side’s permit can be issued independently; liability language and easements are to be handled privately between the neighbors.

All three approvals were unanimous; staff will continue plan review for building permits and return items to the commission only if applicants cannot meet the stated conditions.