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City of Falcon Heights Planning Commission Minutes September 27, 2005 PRESENT: Commissioners DeLeo, Tracy, Lageson, Harris, Rodich, Ryan, Lageson, Mercer-Taylor, Council Liaison Lindstrom. Also present were City Attorney Soren Mattick and Staff Liaison Deb Jones. ABSENT: Heideman, Lukermann The meeting was called to order at 7:03 p.m. MINUTES: The minutes for August 23, 2005, were approved with one correction: Council Member Lindstrom was not present on August 23. PUBLIC HEARING: Variance Request for 1347 W. Larpenteur Avenue Commission Chair Ryan opened the public hearing. Zoning and Planning Coordinator Jones presented the staff report beginning with a slide show to review of variance standards and procedures for the benefit of the viewing audience. 1347 W. Larpenteur Avenue is a commercial property (B-1) at the northwest corner of Larpenteur and Hamline. It has been in use for many years as Thatcher Chiropractic Clinic. The property has been purchased by Dr. Omar Awad, who proposes to remodel the existing building for use as an eye clinic. • Dr. Awad is applying for a setback variance of 8 feet on the east (Hamline) side of the building to build an entrance vestibule, approximately 4 feet deep with an additional 4 foot overhang. The present entry, which faces Larpenteur, is not readily accessible to patients coming from the parking lot behind the building nor particularly welcoming and attractive to pedestrians. The applicant feels that the Hamline-facing entrance would be the best compromise between accessibility and creating a more welcoming streetscape. The staff findings found that no detriment or impairment would result from granting the variance. The property's uniqueness lies in its ties to the adjacent parcel on the west which is zoned R-1, although it has long been used together with the B-1 parcel. The only improvement on the adjacent parcel is a section of the clinic parking lot. No lot combination or rezoning is being sought at this time. The chief hardship from denying the variance would be that the owner would be required to place the new entry at the north, in effect, having the business "turn its back" to the street. Staff recommended approval. The applicant, Dr. Omar Awad, and the architect, Mr. Ali Awad, came to the podium to answer questions from the Commission. In response to questions from Commissioners, Mr. Awad confirmed that there would be a curved, flat (accessible) sidewalk from the parking lot, that the vestibule would be the only addition to the footprint of the building, that the enclosed area of the vestibule would be about 40 square feet, and that the sale of the property had not yet closed. Commissioner Lageson pointed out that many businesses do face rear parking lots and asked why this could not be done in this case. Ali Awad said that one of the remodeling goals is to create an entrance people can see, that it is very difficult to see where the entrance is now. The applicant wants • accessibility from the street as well as the parking lot as well as increased "street presence." The design intent is to make the building more "residential" and neighborly. City of Falcon Heights -Planning Commission Meeting of September 27, 2005 -Page 1 of 3