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I I CASE # 6 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ~DIscussION OF LOT AREA AS IT RELATES PLATTING AND CODE ENFORCEMENT; By: Zoning Administrator Sylvia Frolik TO Background: When property~ is:l~latted, the developer must provide for the minimum lot area on each lot. When you look up !t ,[a~: d[~nition of minimum lot area in City Code, it states that the minimum lot area may not in¢lud.'e tla~e road right-of-way in the urban areas, but it may include the road right-of-way in the rural ar6,as.i Naturally, developers of the rural area take advantage of this option because it increases the ~iumber of eligible lots in a plat by 18% generally. Then the property is marketed accordingly, i.e., :! Iacre lots, 2.5 acre lots, etc. (whatever the minimum lot size was at the time of platting). For your information, I have enclosed an excerpt from Section 9.02 (Definitions) of the Ramsey City Code). ObservationS: For code enfor ~e~¢nt purposes, it has been the City's policy to compute lot area from property line to property lin{ .T~is then becomes a problem, especially when people find out their actual lot size is something i,sS~than it was advertised at, as many regulations are based on lot size. For example, the tt re~liold for having a metal accessory structure is 2.5 acres. More often than not, lot sizes are some Ihi~g less than 2.5 acres in a subdivision marketed as having 2.5 acre lots. The amount of acel ss~ry building space allowed on properties is on a graduated scale based on lot size. For examPle, t~_e ~ount of accessory structure space allowed on a 2.4 acre lot is 400 square feet less than that ~ghie]t is allowed on a lot measuring 2.5 acres. Recommend~ :lti0n: In the interest ~>f ¢~nsistency and uniform application of the Code, I recommend that the definition of "Lot, minirnoml~ea of" be amended to delete the option to include road right-of-way in the rural areas. Many !areas of the code also refer to 'parcel', but 'parcel' is not defined. I would recommend th ~ t~e definitions also be amended to include 'parcel' as a lot of record with the area of same being ne~smred from property line to property line. CompresSiOn Action: Motion[ to: Direct ~ity Staff to draft an ordinance to amend City Code to eliminate the option to include road right~6f-way when determining lot area in the rural areas and to add a definition of 'parcel~. Review Checklist:', P&Z: City Administrator City Engineer Building Official Project Manager Zoning Administrator 10/6/92