Staff Report - 2-5-2013MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Brad Nielsen
DATE: 5 February 2013
RE: Zoning Permits — Items Subject To
FILE NO. 405(Zoning)
When the Commission and the City Council last met, the consensus was that the Commission
should come back with a final list of items that would be subject to a zoning permit process.
As the Planning Commission wraps up its study of the general provisions section of the Zoning
Code, the issue of zoning permits can now be addressed.
As you may recall, the original list of features that would require a zoning permit was relatively
short and based on things that were not addressed in the building code and which historically
created problems in Shorewood. After the joint meeting with the Council and having reviewed
the general provisions section of the Zoning Code, the following list is what is now proposed
(items added to the original list are shown in italics):
(1) Accessory buildings less than 120 square feet in area.
(2) Fences.
(3) Driveways (new, expansions and replacement).
(4) Temporary signs.
(5) Sport and tennis courts
(6) Patios and sidewalks (new, expansions and replacement)
(7) Retaining walls higher than three feet (no separate permit required when a building
permit is required for grading).
(8) Above -ground fireplaces and cooking facilities, but not including portable appliances.
(9) Irrigation systems.
(10) Playground equipment or systems occupying more than 64 square feet of ground area or
exceeding six feet in height.
(11) underground animal control fences.
(12) Tents and canopies erected for more than two weeks in a 12-month period.
Memorandum
Re: Zoning Permits
5 February 2013
(13) Portable storage facilities not associated with a valid building permit and located on
property for more than 30 days in a 12-month period.
One item that was also discussed was landscaping along property lines. It was suggested that
since a property owner is able to remedy the encroachment (trimming along the property line)
that it would be better to initiate an educational effort instead of the zoning permit process. In
this regard, staff will develop a resident handout relative to this issue.
If the Council is in agreement, a public hearing will be scheduled to consider the proposed
amendment to the Zoning Code.
Cc: Planning Commission
Bill Joynes
Tim Keane
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