Neighbors tell board they support property owner amid enforcement appeal

During public comment, adjacent property owner Andy Stokley told the board he supports the applicant and said the lot is much cleaner under the current owner. Stokley asked the board to consider nearby gravel lots and selective enforcement patterns and urged the board to "put a pin in this" because a major Blythe Street project is coming.

Planning staff and several board members responded that the appeal concerns a process issue: the city's enforcement is based on photographic evidence and code requirements and that an appeal of the enforcement belongs before this board only on the administrative determination. Staff recommended the applicant submit a change-of-use site-plan application to Planning Commission, where requests for waivers (for landscaping, buffer yards or temporary exceptions) can be evaluated in context with the city's road project.

Stokley said he was not asked to appear by the applicant and that he came forward because he received notice and wanted to support the owner. The board allowed Stokley to speak after suspending the rules to reopen public comment; the meeting then resumed discussion of the appeal and ultimately voted to uphold the zoning enforcement.