Council hears homeowner plea to modify driveway slope after site-plan mismatch

A Woodland Hills homeowner told the City Council work session that his house sits about 28 inches higher than expected and the upper driveway cannot be graded to the approved slope, leaving emergency-access and winter-safety concerns unresolved. Aaron, identified in the meeting as the property owner, said, “the house is just too high,” and that crews exhausted regrading options before concluding the upper driveway could not meet the required slope.

City staff and councilors spent more than an hour reviewing the site, code options and remaining construction items. The homeowner said the lower garage meets code and the home was issued a temporary occupancy permit based on that lower garage; the owner asked the council to consider a modification allowing use of the upper driveway in dry conditions while using the lower garage for winter access.

Why it matters: The discussion determines whether the city will allow a permanent change in how emergency access and driveway slope are treated for a finished house, and whether the owner must demolish or reengineer large elements of the site to meet the original plan. The council has the exclusive authority to modify driveway slope under city ordinance; the owner could alternatively appeal to a hearing officer for a $600 hearing.

Most important facts first: the owner told councilors he and contractors dug near the driveway until they exposed a buried gas line and reached the limit of excavation; the site team calculated the house sits roughly 28 inches above the intended grade and would need about 40 additional feet of driveway to meet grade — space the lot does not provide. “I think it's averaging 14.7%,” the owner said of the driveway grade and added that the lower garage “is all to code and pass[ed] last fall,” which is the basis for the temporary occupancy.

City staff summarized options and outstanding items. A staff member identified as Wayne explained the ordinance allows the council to grant a waiver/modification of driveway slope, or the owner may appeal to a hearing officer for a decision. Staff confirmed the lower garage provides acceptable access for emergency responders; the steeper upper section reaches 16–19% in spots and is not safe in icy conditions. Staff also noted several construction items remain, including two small areas requiring a 2% grade near the house and a fire-sprinkler expansion tank the owner said he already installed.

Council discussion and staff clarifications focused on safety and enforceable conditions. Councilors and staff pressed staff and the owner to verify inspection records for pre-pour driveway checks and retaining-wall inspections. Staff reported a culvert measured as 12 inches outside (9 inches inside) where the plan specified a 15-inch culvert; the culvert size and window-well/egress requirements will need follow-up. At one point a councilor observed the temporary occupancy period is one year and that the permit’s expiration was imminent.

What staff recommended and what the owner asked for: the owner asked the council to treat the lower garage as the primary garage and to allow seasonal use of the upper driveway — “use that upper driveway when it's dry and safe,” he said — while completing the few remaining items. Staff said the council could approve a modification with conditions (for example, limiting upper-driveway use to dry conditions, requiring the owner to repair the culvert or address window wells, or requiring protective measures to support EMS/fire access), or deny the request and require compliance with the original approved site-plan slopes.

No final vote or formal modification was recorded during the work session. Staff told the council that a formal action would occur at a future regular meeting; staff also described the alternate administrative route to a hearing officer that the owner could pursue. Councilors discussed possible conditions if they grant a modification, including requiring the owner to accept personal risk for using the upper driveway when conditions are unsafe, requiring snow/safety measures (curved guide barriers or guardrail alternatives were suggested), and finishing outstanding grading and inspection items before any long-term occupancy is extended.

Background and context: Staff said the original site plan showed a 15% grade at a time when engineering sign-offs indicated the design was marginally acceptable; that design proved not achievable once the house was built and excavation encountered a gas line running under the driveway. Staff and the owner described repeated regrading attempts and an effort to move the driveway entrance 15 feet to gain length; neither adjustment provided the extra 40 feet staff said would be required to meet the intended slope. The council and staff noted the city sometimes grants slope modifications with conditions and that the council previously used conditional approvals for driveways in similar situations.

Next steps: The council did not adopt a formal decision in the work session. Staff will (a) verify inspection records and retaining-wall documentation, (b) complete follow-up inspections on the two small grading areas and window wells, (c) confirm culvert dimensions and advise whether a replacement is required, and (d) prepare a formal modification request for the next regular council meeting where a decision or motion can be recorded. The homeowner said the remaining construction items could be finished in days to weeks, depending on weather.