The saga continues
Planning Commission discusses Navy Street
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HANCOCK -- One proposed Navy Street development ran into another issue at Monday's Hancock Planning Commission meeting. Developer and Planning Commissioner Andy Lahti's zoning application on behalf of JS Stringer was not approved, falling on a 2-3 vote. Lahti's parcel is on the opposite side of another developer, Taylor Auguston's parcel.
There were two "yes" votes from Mayor Kurt Rickard and Commissioner Kevin Kalinec, the "no" votes were from Commissioners Steve Walton, Jonathon Nagel and Chris Zamaites. City Councilor Ron Blau and Commissioner Lahti abstained. Commissioner Brooke Harris was absent and there is one vacant spot, formerly taken up by Adam Griffis before resigning last week.
Walton said there are many factors as to why the vote failed. "The major concern of the discussion was fire access," he said. "Andy [Lahti] believes that it is more than sufficient, but numerous planning commission members are not convinced it is."
According to Walton, Hancock's engineering firm consultant, OHM Advisors, looked at the fire code in relation to Lahti's property access. However, OHM did not render a judgement. Walton added Hancock's Fire Department and Police Department declined the say whether or not fire access could be granted.
Walton said he and the planning commission are working with City Manager Mary Babcock to find an official body to give the O.K. for fire access to Lahti's property.
"We haven't yet found one," Walton said.
According to Babcock, the grade of the roadway heading down onto Lahti's property is too steep.
"The grading on the plans shows about 17%," Babcock said. "The standard for the International Fire [Code] is 10% maximum."
Although the fire access is up in the air, both Walton and Babcock agree everything else in the zoning application is up to par.
"Everything else is pretty workable," Babcock said.
"If he [Lahti] can get us some higher body to assure us that the firefighting capability is possible... the building on the site all meets zoning code," Walton said.
On the other side of Navy Street, on its east end, Auguston's zoning plans are also up to code. The only issue there, Walton said, is access. To remedy this issue and other future potential development issues on the shoreline sector of Hancock, Walton said the planning commission is going to update the city's zoning code, ideally by the end of the year.
According to Walton, Auguston's zoning application is likely to be on November's planning commission agenda.