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. . Minutes - Plan Commission Page 4 June 22, 1988 subdivision to be located on the west side of North and South Boulevard at the eastern terminus of Balson Avenue. The amendment consisted of increasing the number of lots from seven to nine by decreasing the lot widths and areas. Mr. Marsh informed Chairman McCauley that he must abstain from the vote due to a conflict of interest. Chairman McCauley called on Mr. Jim Hall and Mr. Tracy Rufkahr to present the preliminary plat proposal. Mr. Hall introduced himself as an architect with the firm of Hall, Halsey and Wind. He explained that the Plan Commission had, on April 27, 1988, approved a preliminary plat for this property which then consisted of seven single family lots in conformance with the 60 foot width and 7,200 square foot area standards of the "SR"-Single Family District regulations. The Rufkahr Land Development Company had, over the past two months, found that land and development costs on the seven lots would dictate a higher purchase price than the market could command at this location. Mr. Rufkahr therefore proposed to subdivide the property into nine lots which would allow a more reasonable selling price for each property. Mr. Hall explained that only four of the lots would have less than a 50 foot width and all lots would be as wide, if not wider, than those within the single family subdivisions to the south and west. Mr. Hall and Mr. Rufkahr explained that it is their opinion that the Stanford Place Tract would be a prime example of infill development and requested that the Plan Commission invoke the exception procedures of Section 34-30.3 in order to allow lot sizes smaller than the 60 foot width and 7,200 square foot area standards. Chairman McCauley called on Ms. Elwood to present the issues cited in the Director of Planning's report of June 9, 1988. Ms. Elwood explained that the exception to the lot size standard in Section 34-30.3 of the Zoning Code allows the Zoning Administrator to grant an exception to the lot width and area requirements if they are consistent with the prevailing pattern of the subdivision in which the lot is located. It was the Planning Staff's opinion that the exception was placed in the Zoning Code to permit infill construction on existing substandard lots and was not intended as a basis for new subdivisions. In addition, Chapter 29 of the Municipal Code sets out minimum standards for subdivisions stating in Section 29-4(d) that "the minimum area of any lot in a subdivision shall not be less than the minimum lot area requirements of the zoning district in which the area is located." It goes on to state that "no lot shall have a width of less than fifty feet at the building line." The Planning Director does not recommend increasing the number of lots on the preliminary plat for Stanford Place Tract. Chairman McCauley asked Mr. Hall and Mr. Rufkahr to respond to questions by Plan Commission members. Mr. McCauley asked about the status of the remaining vacant land to the north of the Stanford Place Tract and south of the Lionsgate Condominiums. Mr. Rufkahr stated that the tract was still encumbered by the Lionsgate condominium indentures and, at this time, could not be added to this proposed single family subdivision. Mr. Marsh asked if, with smaller lot sizes, did Mr. Rufkahr intend building and selling a different type of product. Mr. Rufkahr stated that the homes would be the same as those presented to the Plan Commission during the rezoning process; and with the nine lots, the starting price would remain at $135,000. In