PCAgenda_90Jul23 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

DATE: 6/25/90 MEMORANDUM • TO: Planning Commission FROM: Susan Hoyt Taff, City Planner Meeting Date 7/23/90 Agenda Item E-3 Attachment 3 RE: Planner's Report on the Review of Lot Coverage of Detached Accessory Buildings Lots in the Northome neighborhood are small compared to others in the City, 50 ft. x 123 ft. It is not desirable to cover the entire rear yard with a detached garage or a variety of detached accessory buildings. However, it does not seem reasonable to severely restrict these property owners from building garages large enough to store vehicles, bicycles, mowers and snow blowers which might create a storage problem or require the need for a utility shed in addition to their garage at some future date. Strictly applying Section 9-2.04 Subdivision 2(b) of the zoning code Area. Detached accessory buildings shall not occupy more than 35% of the area of a required rear yard. is creating problems for new garages in the Northome neighborhood. Applying the 35% of the required rear yard to • these 50 foot lots prohibits the construction of what are currently considered standard double or two and one-half car garages. • Example: .35 x 50 ft. (lot x 30 ft. (required = 525 sq. ft. width) rear yd.) New standard double or two and one-half car garages are usually: 22 x 24 = 528 sq. ft. OR 24 x 24 = 576 sq. ft. Therefore, under the 35% lot coverage requirement a standard double or two and one-half car garage is not buildable on a 50 ft. lot. Since the code requirement was previously 40% (until July, 1989) and since this was not enforced, there are several examples of garages these sizes in the Northome neighborhood. After consulting with Tim Malloy, the planner who assisted the Commission with the residential setback revisions a year ago, it appeared that increasing the lot coverage percentage to 40$ would accommodate the garage sizes described above, yet not allow rear yards to be totally covered with detached accessory buildings. . 1