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Commission recommends variance to let Virginia Drive lot exceed shoreland impervious cap where road easement is excluded
Summary
The commission recommended that council allow a property at 6407 Virginia Drive to exceed the shoreland district’s 25% impervious surface limit by excluding the Thornberry Curve road right-of-way from the calculation unless the road area becomes part of a city street project.
The Victoria Planning Commission on Monday recommended City Council approve a variance allowing greater impervious coverage for a vacant lot at 6407 Virginia Drive by excluding the portion of the Thornberry Curve right-of-way from the shoreland 25% cap when that right-of-way would remain a city street project.
Associate Planner Travis Briarley told the commission the parcel was affected decades ago when a roadway was laid across part of the lot via an easement. Staff reported that the existing road area accounts for roughly 14.5% of the parcel’s total area and that the proposed house, driveway and immediate improvements were calculated at about 22.2% of the whole lot area. Under staff’s recommended motion, the right-of-way area would not count against the 25% impervious limit if it is constructed as part of a city street project.
Commissioners discussed fairness to future applicants, stormwater management and the possibility of placing a numeric cap (e.g., a fixed percentage) rather than an easement exclusion. Staff said the road has stormwater controls and emphasized that all stormwater, DNR and local regulations would still apply.
Commissioner Croth moved the sample motion on the screen to recommend approval; the motion was seconded and carried.
The commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to council; staff noted final wording should guard against unintended precedents if the city later changes the right-of-way status.
