Council approves variances for cuts, fills and steep-slope disturbance on 128-acre Bergwall site; developer emphasizes tree preservation efforts

The Valverde City Council on Sept. 23 approved a package of variances allowing disturbance within steep slopes and additional cuts and fills for a 128-acre tract proposed for the Bergwall subdivision.

Planning staff said most requested variances were minor and within the code’s exemptions for rights-of-way, and that the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval. The applicant, who identified himself as Charles, told the council the design team laid out roads and detention basins to minimize tree loss, including stair-stepped basins and selectively located retaining walls to avoid removing larger stands where possible. “We even laid out the roads, staked them, went and walked, looked at ways we could just tweak the right of way in order to save trees as much as possible,” Charles said.

Councilmembers pressed for details on drainage studies, emergency access, road widths and where retaining walls would be used. Staff said roads are 26 feet of pavement with a 60-foot right-of-way and that wall and grading easements would be used where necessary; maintenance of retaining walls would fall to the homeowners association. The council considered the engineering explanations for outfall and spreader berms to reduce immediate drop-offs and erosion at site boundaries.

A councilor moved to approve the variances to Chapter 10A Sections 4.04(e) (disturbance within steep slopes) and 4.05 (cuts and fills); the motion was seconded and passed with recorded 'ayes' and no opposition noted. Staff said a full drainage study is in progress and will be reviewed as plans advance.