A meeting of the Village of Riverlea Planning Commission was held November 9, 2020 via Zoom teleconference software. Members present were Bryce Jacob (Planning Commissioner), Sheila Bagley, Janet Brown, Paul Collini, and Rich Skowronski. Also present were Paul & Kara Unrue, Brittney Stroman, and Alainna Greene of Famiglia Homes. Joshua C. Mehling served as Clerk. The Planning Commissioner called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
- The minutes of the regular Planning Commission meeting of October 12, 2020 were not read since each member had received a copy. Skowronski moved and Bagley seconded the motion that the minutes be approved as submitted by the Clerk. The following vote was recorded on the motion: Yea: 5, Bagley, Brown, Collini, Jacob, and Skowronski; Nay: None; Abstain: None. The motion carried 5-0.
- An application for a Certificate of Appropriateness by David Stroman at 155 Southington to replace a section of the current fence around the pool with a cedar privacy fence. The requested height is 8 ft and is intended to help prevent sound from traveling to the neighbor’s house. The reason for the requested height of the fence is because the neighbor’s house sits uphill from the pool and the fence company recommended this height. As part of this project, the cedar fence would replace the current metal fence on the east side of the property and would be placed on the other side of the existing landscaping.
Bagley stated that she was unsure whether the additional 2 ft difference between 6 and 8 ft would be enough to serviceably cancel the sound, as she lives next door to a pool and understands how the sound travels. Paul Unrue, who owns the next-door property, stated that he would prefer the taller height. The Planning Commissioner inquired as to whether the Unrues could add a smaller fence on their property to take advantage of the height, but Unrue stated that this would not work due to the slope of the land between the houses.
The Planning Commissioner noted that the Commission did not receive a variance application needed to approve a fence over 6 ft, so the options for the Commission would be to approve the 6 ft fence or for the Stromans to come back with a variance application. The Stromans and Unrues agreed to discuss options and come back to the Commission at a later date. Skowronski moved to table the fence application and Collini seconded this motion. The following vote was recorded on the motion: Yea: 5, Bagley, Brown, Collini, Jacob, and Skowronski; Nay: None; Abstain: None. The motion carried 5-0.
- An application for a Certificate of Appropriateness by Alainna Greene of Famiglia Homes to add a covered porch on the rear of the house at 5826 Westchester. This application had been tabled at the October meeting pending updated plans, which Greene submitted to the Commission.
All posts for the patio will be 8×8 and wrapped in cedar to match the addition on the house. The posts, including a vertical post in the center to support the ridge, will be wrapped in cedar as well. There will be additional cedar wrapped LVL for support, with open rafters.
Bagley moved to approve the Certificate of Appropriateness for the covered porch as shown in the plans and Brown seconded this motion. The following vote was recorded on the motion: Yea: 5, Bagley, Brown, Collini, Jacob, and Skowronski; Nay: None; Abstain: None. The motion carried 5-0.
- An application for a Certificate of Appropriateness by Charlotte Morrison at 272 Frontenac to construct a 3-season room on a full foundation with a slab and a treated wood deck off the addition. The plan also calls for replacement of the front entry system with a new double door with sidelights. Bryce Jacob, as the contractor on this project, discussed the plans.
The interior dimensions of the addition are 16 x 10 and the deck will be 12 x 10. The windows in the addition will be EZ Breeze units, constructed of aluminum with vinyl, not glass panels. Jacob announced that the planned color had changed since the submission and that the windows and door would be black. The material for the addition will be boral, which does not biodegrade, and the deck will be treated lumber.
Brown moved to approve the Certificate of Appropriateness for the addition and deck as shown in the plans with the noted color change and Bagley seconded this motion. The following vote was recorded on the motion: Yea: 5, Bagley, Brown, Collini, Jacob, and Skowronski; Nay: None; Abstain: None. The motion carried 5-0.
- The Planning Commissioner noted that Janet Brown’s term on the Commission is due to expire at the end of 2020. He stated that he had asked her to return for another term and she agreed to do so.
- The Planning Commissioner updated the Commission on discussions around the approved installation of a fence at 5925 Olentangy. The approved plans called for a cedar fence between that house and the neighboring house at 5915 Olentangy. This fence would be 6 between the two patios and then drop down to 4 ft for the remainder. The neighbor at 5915 Olentangy told the Planning Commissioner that he does not feel that this is what was discussed and that he feels that the fence should drop down in height sooner than it does. The Planning Commissioner reviewed the fence and found that the change in height is at the location shown in the drawings that the Commission approved. He notified the neighbors that they are free to appeal this decision to the Village Council and that he made the Mayor and Council aware of the issue.
Skowronski moved and Bagley seconded a motion to adjourn. The motion was approved unanimously (5-0). The meeting was adjourned at 7:40 p.m.
Bryce Jacob, Planning Commissioner
Josh Mehling, Clerk