Hearing set on Talus Rock

DOVER — The City Council is conducting a public hearing tonight on Talus Rock, a resort retreat that has drawn strong criticism from neighboring landowners.

The hearing starts at 7 p.m. at City Hall, located at 699 Lakeshore Ave.

The city’s Planning & Zoning Commission recommended denial of the retreat’s after-the-fact special use permit on a split vote this summer. The denial recommendation cleared the board on 2-1 vote with dissenting commissioners raising concerns about compatibility with surrounding uses and code enforcement.

The council can either affirm or overrule the commission’s recommendation. There is no administrative appeal process, which means aggrieved parties would have to pursue a civil action in 1st District Court.

“If somebody wants to appeal the City Council’s decision, that goes to district court,” said Bryan Quayle, the city’s Planning & Zoning administrator.

Bruce and Heather Pedersen’s 8,300-square-foot home, which is rented out for gatherings and overnight guests, has been passionately defended and derided during the public review process.

Some contend it is a unique asset to the community, while others counter that it has disrupted the peace and quiet of the rural residential neighborhood.

The planning commission developed a comprehensive suite of conditions meant to mitigate traffic and noise impacts, although some question the city’s ability to enforce them given its limited resources. Neighbors are also questioning a recently-submitted permit application for a 3,000-square-foot accessory dwelling above a garage on the property.

The applicants maintain the accessory dwelling is for private residential space and is not directly associated with Talus Rock, city records indicate.