What codes?

The 8-home subdivision has yet to come to the DRC for approval - USC has not see any land use case number for this portion of the development - yet.  Having seen a sketch of the entire 16-unit development, local streets and access to the lots is a looming problem.  Will access be provided by real streets or "goat paths"? 

• Will streets leading the the subdivision (Bickner,St.) be wide enough for 8 homes?   See CDC 42.03.050 and 42.03.055 (and others?)
• If Bickner St. were widened, would the development lose a lot or two?  
• Will the developers be responsible for improving local streets and intersections impacted but their development? 
• Is the road to the 8-lots considered a private lane, a city street, or a flag lot access lane?  Is it a half street, a cul-de-sac, or what?  
• Are the 8 lots flag lots or a standard subdivision?   Compare site planning to the 9-lot subdivision planned for Carmen Road.
• How will surface drainage from the new subdivision be handled?  

The land use plan for 850 Cedar St. has not been made public, so we don't know the answer to these questions.  If these are a collection of flag lots and not a subdivision, how does that work?  Other property developed with 4 or more houses has to comply with more stringent planned subdivision rules.   Maybe our codes have more holes than we thought - BIG ones.

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Neighbors: Plans to build 16 homes violate zoning codes

Some say Lake Oswego’s Hallinan neighborhood can't handle new 

development plans

KOIN TV,  August 29, 2014  Tim Becker

LAKE OSWEGO, Ore. (KOIN 6) — Some neighbors in Lake Oswego are fighting development plans that would bring 16 new homes to a neighborhood.

Residents in the Lake Oswego’s Hallinan neighborhood claim the area can’t handle the new houses without improvements to the infrastructure, including wider roads and access.

“They’re built on lots that are platted lots, which aren’t really legal. They’re legal in Lake Oswego, but they’re illegal by state law since 1992,” said neighbor Liz Martin.

Those against the plans also said the city is ignoring its own zoning code. they wonder how the project is possible when the developer wants to build on 4,000 or 5,000 square foot lots on an area zoned for 7,500 square foot lots.

Legally non-conforming is what the city calls the lots in question.

According to Lake Oswego’s city council, the area is zoned for 7,500 square foot lots, which has led to some of the neighbors’ complaints when they said they heard the homes will go on lots no larger than 5,000 square feet.

“Those lots were grandfathered in, and so they were platted before our current zoning regulations,” explained City Planner Jessica Numanoglu.

According to Numanoglu, the platted, or buildable lot sizes, are different than 7,500 square foot tax lots.

“It’s the developers that come in with that knowledge and exploit it and then the city allows them to get by, in our case, calling this a ministerial decision,” said Lake Oswego resident Wendy McLennan.

Lot line adjustments and zoning codes aside, neighbors admitted they just don’t have room up here for 16 more houses.

Still, the city doesn’t see it that way.

“It isn’t a density increase because they’re all existing lots of record,” said Numanoglu.

Neighbors: Plans to build 16 homes violate zoning codes