INSIDE CITY HALL Here are a few...

INSIDE CITY HALL

Here are a few of the issues the council decided Monday:

OK AND APPEAL OF MYRAN DRIVE PROJECT

The council upheld the Planning Commission’s approval of the

construction of a two-story house on Myran Drive. Councilman Chris

Steel had appealed this approval on three grounds, ranging from

privacy rights of neighbors to concern about the protection of trees.

He dissented on the vote.

The street, which is actually an easement, is one of the last

remnants of the city’s early days -- a small stretch devoid of

concrete, where four one-story houses sit side by side. The first

two-story house for the street was approved in February.

In upholding the project’s approval, the council required that the

current width of the easement be maintained and repaved to bring it

up to current standards. The council also mandated the pavement be

extended to the northern end of the property line, including the

existing area where cars turn around.

WHAT IT MEANS

Two of the four one-story houses on Myran Drive will now be

two-story houses.

WHAT WAS SAID

“It certainly is a little different than most neighborhoods, but

it doesn’t override someone’s right to build a second story,”

Councilman Allan Mansoorsaid. .

SECOND READING OF LAW TO REZONE PROPERTY

The council finalized the approval of rezoning 2436 Newport Blvd.

to medium-density, multi-family residential. Steel dissented. On July

6, the council first approved a rezone petition for the property.

The existing facilities include an office building and a storage

building. The council put a condition on the rezone that any project

developed for the site has to be for-sale housing, as opposed to

apartments.

WHAT IT MEANS

The property will be rezoned residential and a for-sale housing

project will be developed for the site.

WHAT WAS SAID

“I’m optimistic,” Mansoor said. “I think it’s putting us in the

right direction of building more homes that are for sale.”

EASTSIDE TRAFFIC REPORT

In an effort to save money, the council decided not to have

Eastside traffic reports done every two years, but instead to have

them completed on an as-needed basis.

Since 2002, staff members have been monitoring traffic conditions

throughout the Eastside area every two years. The reports identify

changes in traffic conditions that could be attributed to increased

cut-through traffic with the goal of immediately responding to any

significant changes by taking measures to alleviate them.

Councilwoman Libby Cowen dissented.

WHAT IT MEANS

The city will save $8,000 every two years by not having the

reports done on a regular basis, Transportation Services Manager

Peter Naghavi said.

WHAT WAS SAID

“It gets to be expensive, so rather than have it come up

automatically, we’ll do it as needed,” Mansoor said. “If someone

raises a complaint, then we can do a study.”