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CASE # <br /> <br />REQUEST FOR A VARIANCE TO FRONT YARD SETBACKS; <br />CASE OF EDINA DEVELOPMENT <br /> By: Patrick Trudgeon, Principal Planner <br /> <br />Background: <br /> <br />Edina Development is proposing to subdivide land on the northwest comer of State Hwy. 47 and <br />Alpine Dr. into 112 townhome units. The property is in the process of being rezoned to R3-U <br />which allows for townhomes up to a density of seven units per acre. City Code states that the <br />front yard setback for buildings located in the R3-U Zoning District be setback 35 feet from edge <br />of the right-of-way of public roads. The applicant is requesting a variance to have the townhouse <br />units setback 25 feet from the back of public street curb, or 10 feet from the edge of the right-of- <br />way. <br /> <br />The following items are enclosed for your information: <br /> <br />a) Site location map <br />b) Preliminary Plat <br />c) Adopted Public/Private Street Policy <br />d) Proposed Findings of Fact <br />e) Proposed Variance <br /> <br />Notification: <br /> <br />In accordance with State Statute, Staff sent notification to property owners within 700 feet of the <br />subject property of the request for a variance. <br /> <br />Observations: <br /> <br />With the adoption of the 2001 Comprehensive Plan, the City has been faced with several <br />townhouse developments for consideration. City staff has struggled in applying current City <br />Ordinances to townhouse developments. The current codes date from the late 70s and do not <br />fully anticipate townhome plats. The Planning Commission and City Council is currently <br />working on revisions to City Code to better regulate townhome developments, but at this time we <br />need to apply current codes to the new townhouse developments. <br /> <br />Chapter 9.20.14 of City Code requires buildings to be setback 35 feet from the edge of public <br />right-of-way when located in the R3-U Zoning District. Edina Development's townhouse project <br />is proposed to be located in a R3-U Zoning District and they are requesting a variance to the <br />front yard setback to allow them to put their units 10 feet from the edge of the right-of-way (25 <br />feet from the back of the public street curb). <br /> <br />In trying to bridge the gap from until formal adoption of new ordinances, the City has recently <br />adopted a new public/private street policy for multiple family residential developments. The <br />policy requires designs that utilize a main public street spine through the development with <br /> <br /> <br />