Planning commission approves front-yard retaining walls for 19 Carswell Drive

The Clayton City Planning Commission Architectural Review Board on July 7 approved plans for two new stone retaining walls and driveway replacement at 19 Carswell Drive after staff recommended adoption as submitted.

Staff said the site, in the southwest corner of the Carswell neighborhood and zoned R-1, contains a single-family house and detached garage and that the applicant proposed two stone retaining walls in front of a parking pad between the two legs of the driveway. Staff reported the walls would measure 7.5 feet from the footing to the top, with 5 feet exposed above grade, and concluded the walls would not alter the neighborhood character and would have minimal visual impact. "Staff are of the opinion that the retaining wall will not alter the character of front yards in the Carswell neighborhood and will have a minimal visual impact," a staff member said during the presentation.

The applicant, who identified himself as Harry, told commissioners the front slope was steep and hard to maintain and said the existing shrubs at the top of the slope would be removed and replaced with new plantings. He described subsurface drainage for the walls: "That's the perforated drain tiles below grade, so it relieves any water pressure so it doesn't build up against the wall," he said, and added the system would daylight to the lower yard by gravity.

Commission members asked practical questions about existing drains at the high side of the driveway, the wall daylighting, and whether the driveway would remain in the same footprint; staff and the applicant confirmed the driveway will be replaced in the same location and that existing high-side drains will be retained. No members of the public spoke on the item during the meeting.

After the discussion the commission made a motion to approve staff's recommendation to adopt the plans as submitted; the motion was seconded and passed. The applicant said he expected to begin permit work and thanked the commission.

The approval applies to the materials and drainage details included in the submitted plans; the commission record notes staff recommended approval as submitted and that the applicant will replace existing plantings with new vegetation and maintain the existing drain configuration.

The project will return for inspections through standard building-permit processes. Commissioners did not place additional conditions on the approval.