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• PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM 1 <br />Item: Request for a variance of four feet in the sideyard <br />setback of section 9 - 2.04 [1] (c) at 1494 Iowa Street <br />Submitted by: Mr. William L. Huebsch, Property Owner <br />Reviewed by: Susan Hoyt, City Administrator acting as planner <br />summary: <br />Background <br />In 1983 Mr. Huebsch was granted a variance of 2 feet in the west <br />sideyard setback, to construct a garage 3 feet from the westside <br />property line. However, the garage was never constructed. When <br />Mr. Huebsch came in to get the building permit this fall, he <br />inquired about the possibility of moving the garage even closer <br />than the three feet to the side lot line because the code now <br />allows garages to be constructed within one foot of the side lot <br />line if it meets the following two conditions: <br />1) It is within the rear 20~ of the lot <br />2) The access door faces away from the alley <br />. Mr. Huebsch's proposed garage does not meet these requirements, <br />but he would still like to keep the eave of the new garage one <br />foot from the side lot line. <br />Purpose <br />Mr. Huebsch is making the request for the additional two feet in <br />order to maintain the maximum landscaped yard on a fifty foot <br />wide lot. The closer the garage is to the side lot line, the <br />larger the. landscaped area will remain in his yard. There is a <br />garden and lawn to the east of the proposed garage. There is <br />also a tree to the northeast of the existing garage which may be <br />more likely to live if the garage is two feet to the west because <br />fewer roots will be disturbed. However, there is no <br />guarantee the tree can be saved under either alternative. <br />Finally, he is making the request because the location of the new <br />garage will parallel the neighbor's garage, which was built in <br />the-past few years. The area between the two garages is not <br />used. <br />Analysis <br />The proposal to move the eave of the new garage within one foot <br />of the side lot line instead of the previously granted variance <br />for three feet will provide Mr. Huebsch with a two foot strip (66 <br />. square feet) of additional green space and garden. This type of <br />space is a valuable commodity in an urban residential <br />