MEETING OF COUNCIL - Town of Cambridge

COUNCIL MINUTESTUESDAY 26 FEBRUARY 2013Performance criteria:Development that retains the visual impression of the natural level of a site, as seen from thestreet or other public place, or from an adjoining property.Fill adjacent to the front boundaryThe above section of report discusses the retaining wall proposed under the front fencing andsupports this wall. The retaining wall will be stepped down from east to west, following thenatural level of the site as viewed from the street. The retaining wall will be 1.05 metres high atits highest point (western corner), but will range in height to be less than 0.5 metres in somepart.Fill adjacent to the north-west (side) boundaryThe land slopes down to the north-west boundary and therefore filling of land is proposedadjacent to this boundary to level the site. There are three areas of fill, comprising:-• small triangular pocket of land between the swimming pool and the north-west boundary• small triangular pocket of land between the swimming pool deck and the north-westboundary• large triangular area of outdoor living adjacent to the deck, between the dwelling and thenorth-west boundary.The west elevation shows that these three areas will have a proposed finished ground level ofRL 10.35 (0.1 metres lower than the dwelling). The first two smaller pockets are considered tobe more service areas for the pool as they will be screened from the main living areas by a 1.2metre high swimming pool wall and a 1.8 metre high deck privacy wall. No reasoning has beenprovided to bring the outdoor living area level to the boundary in these locations, which resultsin fill up to 1.06 metres high at the boundary. In addition, the plan shows no change to theexisting dividing fence in these locations. For these reasons it is considered that filling of landshould be restricted to the acceptable development height of 0.5 metres. A condition can beincluded in this regard. It should be noted that the designer has been contacted on this matterand he has confirmed that it is an error on the west elevation to show that these areas at aproposed level of RL 10.35. The proposal is to not change the levels of these areas from theircurrent levels.In relation to the large triangular area of outdoor living, the proposed fill ranges from 0.66metres high to less than 0.5 metres high above natural ground level, to bring the outdoor livingarea to a flat level consistent with the swimming pool deck and dwelling. The plans also showa new 1.8 metre high dividing fence above this level to ensure privacy. It is considered that thissection of fill is acceptable as it is a minor variation and a new fence above will ensure privacyto the north facing outdoor living area and pool deck.Overall in view of the above comments, it is considered that the proposed height of fill adjacentto the front boundary and in the rear section of the north-west side boundary satisfies theperformance criteria for the following reasons:-• the development retains the visual impression of the natural level of a site as seen fromthe street; and• the fill in the rear section of the north-west side boundary is only slightly higher, in part,than the acceptable development requirement and a new dividing fence above will ensureprivacy.H:\CEO\GOV\COUNCIL MINUTES\13 MINUTES\FEBRUARY 2013\B DV.DOCX 49