Sorenson's building plans approved by Hyde Park
By Brad Plothow
April 21, 2006 | HYDE PARK -- Planning and Zoning
commissioner Mark Lynne got a little sentimental Wednesday
-- over a flag lot.
The commissioner took a moment to reflect on his own
property before Hyde Park's Planning and Zoning commission
voted 3-0 to approve Scott Sorenson's building on a
flag lot near 75 West and 100 South.
"It followed the ordinance with lots of room to spare,"
Lynne said of Sorenson's building request. Lynne explained
that his 100-year-old home was built on property as
awkward as Sorenson's, with neighboring property very
close.
"Literally, our back door was right next to (a neighbor's),"
Lynne said. "There are things people can do to mitigate
(lack of privacy)."
Lynne said his family planted lilac tree spouts 6
inches apart along the fence line that separates his
property from the neighbor's, thinking a few of the
trees would survive and provide a little privacy.
"They all survived," said Lynne, noting the solid
wall of lilacs that now grow between his yard and his
neighbor's.
The commission opened the floor briefly for public
comment on the Sorenson lot. For almost one minute,
none of the 10 in attendance -- including three Boy
Scouts -- spoke up.
Barry Foster, a resident who lives near the Sorenson
lot, was the only person to break the silence. He asked
Sorenson, also in attendance, if he was a contractor,
or if he planning on living in the home.
Sorenson said he would make it his home, and a neighborly
friendship started there in the council chamber.
"Cool," Foster said. "I live just above you there."
At a previous meeting, the commission discussed requests,
but not mandates, for the Sorenson lot. Most of them
dealt with the logistics of the property, including
privacy issues with neighbors. Sorenson said he was
not at the previous meeting, so the commission recapped
some of its requests.
"If you at all can, don't put your front lawn into
the back yard of somebody else," Commissioner David
James said.
Sorenson OK'd the request, then left, along with four
others, before the council moved on to other business,
including recognition of Child Abuse Prevention month.
The City Council discussed last week the possibility
of dubbing April as such, as per the request of Clint
Farnsworth of the Child and Family Support Center.
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