The Planning and Zoning Commission on Aug. 6 renewed a conditional use permit for Residual Materials Inc., approving a 10-year permit renewal for three recycling sites and adding or clarifying screening requirements. Miss Grasser, planning staff, presented the renewal and draft permit changes, and staff recommended approval.

Grasser said the company’s previous permit had a 10-year term and the new draft adds additional lots and updated screening conditions. "This line is with screening from trees, which are taller than their fences," Grasser said, referring to the draft permit maps. She said staff performed a site visit and asked the operator to extend fencing where possible and to use trees to screen a parcel they cannot fence due to land constraints: "Due to the land, they can't extend the fence any further north, so they're gonna do trees for that screening portion."

Grasser also said the operator has about 10 storage containers on one lot and that the operator agreed to pave an entrance to bring it into code should that lot be used more intensively. Commissioner Sorrell asked how staff would follow up to ensure screening is installed; Grasser said staff conducts site visits and relies on neighborhood input and would require screening if the additional lot were put into use.

Commissioner Sandy asked whether there had been any complaints during the prior permit term; Grasser said the operator had been in conversations with nearby neighbors about replacing dying trees with new trees and that neighbors accepted that the trees will take time to mature.

Commissioner Ryker moved approval; Commissioner Sandy seconded. The commission voted unanimously to renew the conditional use permits.

Staff described recent increases in material deliveries to the site, noting that the operator had been cooperative during prior permit conditions and that the updated permit focuses on screening and mapping of the additional lots.