HomeMy WebLinkAboutALT25-000002 - Approval Letter (2)
June 20, 2025
RE: ALT25-000002, Darigold
Dear Mr. Pickett,
This APPROVAL letter is in response to your Alternative Methods of Compliance request to reduce the
width of and modify the planting schedule of the street landscape buffers along both the Albany St. and
N. 5th Ave. frontages of the site, as well as the site improvements for the recently vacated Albany St.
right-of-way. Alternative methods of compliance are permitted per Caldwell City Code 10-03-16.
Albany is a local street, and therefore requires a 10 foot wide street landscape buffer, while 5th St. is a
collector, and requires a 20 foot buffer. According to the submitted narrative, the submitted request is
due to the existing structures providing inadequate space to accommodate the required street landscape
buffer width. Additionally, Darigold is a food processing facility, which has best management practices
that require elimination of potential habitat, refuge, host plants, fruit, and pollen production to reduce the
risk of contamination by harmful microorganisms.
Therefore, staff finds the proposed landscape plan and alternative plantings identified in the attached
landscape plan are sufficient to meet the intent of the City code based on the identified site constraints.
Specific findings are noted below:
In order to grant approval for an Alternative Method of Compliance, the Director shall determine the following (Staff response in italics):
a. Alternative is consistent with the purpose of the applicable article or a specific master plan; As discussed above, Staff finds the alternative meets the intent of the street buffer requirement when considering the existing right-of-way conditions along this corridor.
b. Strict adherence or application of the requirements are not feasible; Strict adherence would
significantly impact the existing business’s best management practices for food production.
c. The alternative method of compliance provides an equal or superior means for meeting the
requirements; Staff finds the request is compliant with this finding.
d. The alternative means will not adversely affect a neighboring property or resident and will not be materially detrimental to the public welfare or impair the intended uses and character of the
surrounding properties; Staff finds the request is compliant with this finding.
e. Reflects an innovative or unique design that conforms to the requirements of the applicable article to the greatest extent possible but offers alternatives for addressing the intent of the standards by maintaining or exceeding the standards; and/or, Staff finds the request is compliant with this finding.
f. Includes a design required to maintain consistency and compatibility within an existing
development. Staff finds the request is compliant with this finding.
Sincerely,
Morgan Bessaw, Deputy Director