Site Walk Minutes – 2/15/20 10:00AM
65 Diamond Hill Road – Request for Special Permit for earth moving in excess of 300 cubic years of material.
Attending for Redding Planning Commission:
Toby Welles, Regina O’Brien, Jim Bacon and Chuck Cilo
Attending as agent for the Applicant: Gene Nazzaro
The site walk began promptly at 10 AM. We gathered at the driveway which is downslope of the area of excavation. From the driveway, on the side away from the excavation, there is a long, broad lawn that slopes down to a pond approximately 625 feet away and at 65 ft. lower elevation, (according to Redding’s GIS data). Significant numbers of trees were recently removed from the upper portion of this slope as well as those in the area of the excavation work; these number in excess of 20 large deciduous and many other smaller trees and large bushes, judging from the 2015 aerial photos of the site. New trees were seen awaiting planting, so some revised restoration is evidently planned.
The project is to remove a ledge outcropping that lies upslope of the driveway with its highest elevation prior to excavation (already underway) approximately 16 feet above the driveway level, and approx. 70 feet away. The project as described by the applicant’s agent is to remove the ledge, leaving a vegetated, rounded hillside that continues the general slope of the aforementioned lawn on the other side of the driveway.
We observed an old stone-wall-enclosed horse paddock on the property that measures approx. 140’ x 80’ and lies 30’ beyond the disturbed area’s western side. We were told that this was a planned sculpture garden area and that the purpose of the excavation was to enhance the vistas and accessibility in that area.
Since this is an interior lot, public visibility is limited to those accessing the Burn Trail, which lies 350’ west of the disturbed area and on the far side of the horse paddock.
The meeting adjourned at 10:25 AM
Submitted by: Toby Welles, Chair – Redding Planning Commission