Fairview planning commission approves Glenn Haven Drive site plan with several exceptions

The Fairview Planning Commission approved a site development plan for a commercial parcel at Glenn Haven Drive on April 14, 2026, granting requested exceptions for on-site features and stormwater handling.

Staff said the applicant, property owner Raymond McCale, submitted a design-certification letter requesting exceptions including using an above-ground detention pond rather than required underground detention, contributing to the city tree bank instead of meeting on-site tree requirements, a reduced landscape buffer along Glenn Haven Drive, and disturbance of on-site areas with slopes of 20% or greater. Staff noted many of the steep slopes were created by prior detention-pond construction on neighboring development and said the stormwater ordinance allows the city engineer to grant special consideration for steep-slope disturbance in certain circumstances.

Chase Kerr of Krunk Engineering described a revised landscape plan that uses evergreen trees to provide an opaque buffer where a fence or wall might otherwise be required. Kerr said the reduced buffer along the roadway aligns the new parking area with an existing lot. Commissioners asked technical questions and staff cited that the proposed site-access and pond expansion would be acceptable to the city engineer. The commission voted to approve the plan (recorded as a 7-0 vote).

The approval includes the exceptions described in the applicant’s letter and requires that any conditions of engineering review be addressed during construction-plan review. Staff emphasized that the stormwater ordinance and city engineer’s discretion govern steep-slope disturbance decisions.