Planning commission backs Harbor Club plan for 37 homes with conditions on access, stormwater and environmental corridor

The Planning Commission recommended City Council approval Tuesday of a planned infill development amendment that would allow Harbor Club at Lake Lawn LLC to build 37 single‑family homes on about 16.3 acres south of the Lake Lawn Resort golf course.

The commission’s recommendation, moved by Commissioner Kevin (last name not specified) and seconded by another commissioner, accepted staff findings and imposed conditions including a required secondary emergency access at the east end of the development, minimum 30‑foot driveways, widened private streets to allow parking on one side, and clarification that routine city inspections would apply only to rental units rather than to owner‑occupied single‑family homes.

Staff said the project proposes 37 single‑family lots at a density of about 2.28 dwelling units per acre and a landscape surface area of about 64 percent. The developer asked for several zoning flexibilities — longer dead‑end streets, smaller lot widths and reduced setbacks — to match prior Harbor Club phases. Staff recommended, and the commission accepted, conditions intended to protect lake water quality and public safety.

Jackie, city staff presenting the case, told the commission the site would take access from North Shore Drive and that North Shore and Highway 50 have both been upgraded recently and can accommodate the expected traffic. Jackie also said staff sought a secondary emergency access connecting the east edge of the neighborhood to the resort road network and recommended a condition to require stormwater controls rather than a waiver; the public works committee had denied a stormwater waiver.

Developer representatives said the proposal includes rain‑gardens and detention to treat runoff before it reaches Lake Delavan and that soils and archeological work have been completed or are planned. Dave Sequeira, chief operating officer of Lake Lawn Resort, said the resort and developer view the plan as an enhancement that replaces portions of turf golf course immediately adjacent to the lake with a 75‑foot restored environmental corridor planted with native species.

Public commenters raised concerns about visual impact, lake health and construction traffic. Commission members pressed the developer for details on grading, stormwater design and the mechanism to ensure easement and access issues are resolved in later steps.

On flexibilities, staff noted one proposed lot may not meet the city’s 100‑foot setback measured from the North Shore Drive center line; the applicant asked for relief on that single lot. The commission approved the GDP recommendation with that single‑lot flexibility included and with the requirement that final dimensions and any widened private street be finalized during the subsequent plan and improvement permit (PIP) stage.

The commission also accepted staff’s suggestion to require driveways at least 30 feet deep and to widen the private street enough to allow parking on one side; final pavement and parking widths are to be determined at PIP. The developer agreed to work with staff on language clarifying that semiannual or annual fire inspections and city inspections would apply only to units operated as rentals and not to owner‑occupied single‑family homes.

The commission also discussed the developer’s request to extend the GDP approval period to 10 years rather than the city’s standard five years. Commissioners expressed a preference for five years but included the applicant’s 10‑year request in the recommendation; the final duration will be decided by the council.

The recommendation passed by voice vote. Next steps for the applicant include submitting detailed PIP documents showing stormwater designs, finalized roadway and lot dimensions, the required emergency access design, and any additional materials the city requires before construction permits can be issued.