Agenda - Planning Commission - 04/09/2015

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Regular Planning Commission 5. 2. Meeting Date: 04/09/2015 By: Chris Anderson, Community Development Information Title: PUBLIC HEARING: Consider Request for a Variance to Side Yard Setbacks for an Accessory Building on the Property Located at 6520 170th Ave NW; Case of Jeff Rieck Purpose/Background: The City has received an application from Jeff Rieck (the "Applicant") for a variance to the required side yard setback for an addition to an existing, attached garage at the property located at 6520 170th Ave NW (the "Subject Property"). The proposed addition to the garage would be located five (5) feet from the eastern side property boundary of the Subject Property. Notification: Staff attempted to notify all Property Owners within a 350 foot radius of the Property of the Public Hearing via Standard US Mail. The Public Hearing was also published in the City's official newsletter, the Anoka County Union Herald. Observations/Alternatives: The Applicant would like to construct a twenty-four by forty foot (24' x 40') addition to the attached garage that essentially would convert it from two stalls to a three stall garage (a portion of the existing attached garage would be removed as part of this project). The purpose of the addition would be to provide indoor parking for the Applicant's vehicles as well as for additional storage space. The addition would be serviced with a driveway and the exterior finish will match that of the home (Applicant will, as part of this project, be updating the exterior finish of home as well). The attached garage presently is 440 square feet in size (20' x 22'). The Applicant had originally considered constructing a detached accessory building but, based on several provisions in City Code, found that that was not necessarily feasible. The Subject Property is located in the R-1 Residential (Rural Developing) Zoning District, is about 1.15 acres in size, and is a corner lot. City Code Section 117-349 (Accessory Uses and Buildings) states that on parcels less than two (2) acres, a detached accessory building shall not be located closer to the front property line than the principal building. The home is setback approximately 100 feet from the front property line, which eliminates almost half the lot from consideration for placement of an accessory building. The majority of the western and northwestern portions of the Subject Property serve as a collection point for much of the neighborhood's drainage. This area was platted prior to the practice of encumbering these low spots with drainage and utility easements. So while this low area is not encumbered with easement, allowing fill in this area would displace stormwater and potentially result in flooding of other areas and/or structures. As a corner lot, the Subject Property essentially has two (2) front yards, and is subject to a forty (40) foot setback along Azurite St. Additionally, the septic system is located south of the home and structures must be located at least twenty (20) feet from the drainfield and ten (10) feet from the tank. Thus, between the drainage area and septic system, the western portion of the Subject Property is essentially eliminated from consideration for an accessory building. While there is some potential space in the southeastern portion of the Subject Property, it would be preferable to reserve that area to serve as an alternate location for a septic system should the current system fail and/or be replaced.