Commission approves 1st Avenue (Mahala) application despite waterfront vegetation concerns

The commission considered an application referenced as the 1st Avenue (Mahala) proposal, including lot-coverage calculations and a small stone patio feature. A commissioner noted lot coverage as a concern, referencing a "25%" baseline and an additional roughly "305 square feet" for a stone patio during discussion of how coverage was counted.

A motion to approve the application was made and seconded. One commissioner objected unless the commission could stipulate a maximum height for landscaping along the water’s edge; staff responded, "That's not within our jurisdiction," and said the commission could offer recommendations to the property owner and landscaper. During the vote a commissioner stated explicitly, "I vote no," while the chair recorded at least one "Aye" and announced the motion passed with one no. The commission did not adopt a binding vegetation-height requirement on the project.