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Commission reviews 25% rear-yard hard-surface limit, considers raising cap and adding drainage rules
Summary
Commissioners reviewed the city's 25% rear-yard impervious-surface limit, discussed potential increases tied to lot slope, and urged broader, standalone drainage language so groundwater and runoff are managed when homeowners install large patios, pools or hardscaping.
The planning commission reviewed an older ordinance that limits hard surfacing in rear yards to no more than 25 percent and discussed whether the cap should be increased for smaller lots or adjusted by slope.
"25. No more than 25% of the rear property," Speaker 1 read from the current language. Commissioners noted the rule may have been written when lots were larger and that modern development patterns and accessory uses (patios, sport courts, pool footprints) make the provision harder to apply consistently.
Commissioners discussed model approaches used in other cities: Centerville, for example, ties allowable hard-surface coverage to lot slope and ranges "anywhere between 40 to 60% based on the slope of the lot," Speaker 1 said, citing the research he pulled. Commissioners also raised the need for stand-alone drainage requirements so that large areas of new concrete or pavers do not send groundwater or surface runoff onto downslope neighbors.
"We need it to be broad enough to find that if someone does get ransacked by groundwater coming down slope from them," Speaker 5 said, noting the pool ordinance currently contains language requiring proper groundwater management but that the rule does not apply to non-pool hardscaping. Commissioners asked staff to draft options for modifying the 25% cap (including slope-based alternatives) and to add clear, general drainage and runoff requirements applicable to large hard-surface installations.
No change to the ordinance was adopted at the meeting; staff will return with draft revisions for further discussion.
