Agenda Item Title:
Title
Lujan Special Exception for Restoration in the
Sensitive Area Overlay with 30% or greater slopes
10870 S Lostwood Drive
[The Dell, Community #29]
Body
Presenter:
Melissa Anderson, Zoning Administrator
Body
Description/Background:
The applicant and property owner, Brandon Lujan, is requesting a Special Exception for the property located at 10870 S Lostwood Drive. The request is for a restoration plan to grade and landscape the hillside with 30% or greater slope in the Sensitive Area Overlay (SAO). See Exhibit “B” for the applicant’s grading and landscape restoration plans. The subject property is a half-acre legal lot in the Pepperwood Canyon #1 Subdivision (see Lot 48 in Exhibit “A”). The lot is in the PUD 1.62 zone, and within the SAO zone with 30% or greater slopes. This site is surrounded by single-family homes to the north, south, east and west.
In 1975 the area was annexed into Sandy City, and in 1980 this subdivision was platted and recorded. Conditions of approval are memorialized on the plat and #5 states that grading and home placement plans shall be in conformance with the Hillside Ordinance and that the “hillsides remain substantially undisturbed, with any proposed grading or vegetation removal by residents to be approved by the City.” A single-family home for Lot 48 was designed and approved by the city, adhering to setbacks from the protected steep slope areas.
In September of 2024, the city was alerted to an unauthorized alteration into the protected slope area of this lot. Investigations confirmed areas of disturbance within the protected hillside area with 30% or greater slopes and a stop work order was issued. In March of 2025, an administrative citation was issued for the violation to require mitigation. The applicant has since worked with the city to prepare grading and landscape plans to restore the hillside to its original condition. See Exhibit "B" for the applicant's restoration plans.
Please see the attached staff report and exhibits for the full details of this item.
Recommended Action and/or Suggested Motion:
Recommendation
Staff recommend that the Planning Commission grant a Special Exception to allow restoration of 30% or greater slopes in the Sensitive Area Overlay for the property located at 10870 S Lostwood Drive, based on the following findings and conditions of approval:
Findings:
1. The applicant removed native vegetation and altered a protected 30% or greater slope without permits or approvals of the City.
2. The City Engineer finds the protected slope areas could be closely restored to their native condition and be sufficiently stabilized with native vegetation.
3. City departments and divisions have preliminarily reviewed the proposed site, grading and restoration plan.
4. The City Engineer and Community Development Director recommends approval of the grading and landscape restoration plan, as proposed in Exhibit “B” (subject to the conditions listed below).
Conditions:
1. The applicant shall restore the hillside in accordance with the approved grading and landscape plans and meet all conditions of approval.
2. Disturbed areas of the hillside shall be revegetated with native species of trees, shrubs, and grasses to replace what has been removed, in accordance with the approved landscape plans. Revegetation shall be completed before November 1, 2025.
3. Temporary protection of replacement trees shall be provided to ensure the young trees can grow and establish themselves without being consumed by the wildlife in the area.
4. A temporary irrigation system shall be installed to assist in restoration of the replacement vegetation. The irrigation system shall consist of drip emitters, bubblers, or sprinklers with a maximum precipitation rate of 0.85 inches per hour and adjusted sprinkler cycle to eliminate runoff.
5. The property owner shall work with city staff and the Administrative Hearing Officer to close out the administrative citation per Section 21-15-7 of the Land Development Code.