Change in Requirements for Project Story Poles?
Proposed “Flexibility” in Professional Verification of Pole Placement –
At its upcoming meeting on Monday, March 12, 2012, the Piedmont Planning Commission will consider changes to the current policy on construction of story poles prior to Commission review of proposed projects.
Story poles provide actual dimensions of proposals, including height and bulk. The issue has recently surfaced in regard to Blair Park, where adherence to the current policy has proved costly to the project developers. Both commissioners and residents have awaited the installation of new story poles to show precisely the location and size of the final, approved version of the sports field project.
The commissioners are being asked by staff to reduce the policy requirement for a professional survey of story pole installations. Concern has been raised that without the certification of accurate story poles by survey, the project dimensions might not represent the actual proposal. Once a project is built, it becomes unlikely and extremely costly to correct or relocate it.
The Planning Commission will take up the story pole issue at their meeting, which starts at 6 p.m. on March 12 in the City Hall Council Chambers. The issue is Item 8 on the agenda. The Commission will make a recommendation to the City Council, which will consider the matter at a future meeting.
Also at the March 12 meeting, the Commission will begin a process to consider code and residential guidelines regarding “green” technologies.
Planning Commission agenda items are as follows:
7. INTRODUCTION TO POTENTIAL CHANGES MUNICIPAL CODE AND RESIDENTIAL GUIDELINES
Staff will introduce for Commission consideration information on several new “green” technologies, including some of their advantages and disadvantages. The purpose of the hearing is to take testimony from members of the public and get direction from the Planning Commission on how these new technologies should be treated in the City Code, Residential Design Guidelines and in design review applications. Staff will return at a subsequent hearing with draft Code or Guidelines language based on the direction from the Commission.
8. POSSIBLE CHANGES TO STORY POLE POLICY
Staff will introduce and the Commission will consider changes to the City’s Story Pole Policy that would allow limited flexibility in the requirement of verification by licensed Surveyor or Civil Engineer. The Commission will take testimony from members of the public and will vote to either keep the Policy in its current form or to make a recommendation to the City Council to change the Policy.
