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City of Falcon Heights Planning Commission Minutes • August 24, 2004 PRESENT: Commissioners Harris, Heideman, Lageson, Maher, Ryan, Tracy, Council Member Lindstrom. Also present was Staff Liaison Deb Jones. ABSENT: Lukermann, DeLeo, Ziebarth The meeting was called to order by Commissioner Harris at 7:03 p.m. The minutes of the June 22, 2004, meeting were approved. LOT COVERAGE VARIANCE AT 1885 ASBURY Preliminary to the public hearing, Staff Liaison Jones presented the staff report on the variance application. Applicant sought a variance to build an addition on his house that would bring his property over the legal limit for lot coverage given in Section 9-2.05, subd. 2d of the City Code. The property is 11,622 square feet, for which the code allows a maximum of 30% or 3,487 square feet. The existing coverage is 3,900 square feet, or 413 more than allowed. The applicant would remove some existing pavement and a shed and build a 624 square foot bedroom addition that would be a net increase of 234 square feet, or a total of 647 more than allowed by the ordinance. Jones pointed out that this residence is one of the properties on the west side of Asbury and east side of Snelling that are unusually wide and shallow. This configuration imposes unusual constraints on the buildable area of each lot, and in fact, most of the homes are non-conforming with respect to • setback. Similar additions have been allowed on other homes on these lots, although those took place before the current lot coverage limits came into effect. The owner has two other options (1) removing an existing patio, which would be the loss of an important outdoor amenity, or (2) adding a second story -which would be significantly more costly. Staff did not find that the variance would have any negative or harmful effect on surrounding properties or public spaces or that the expanded home would be out of line with the other properties on the west side of Asbury. Staff did find that the proposed addition is a reasonable amenity and would probably enhance the value of the property . No neighbor contacted the City prior to the hearing to express any opinion. To summarize the findings, Staff did not find sufficient reason to deny the variance and recommended approval. The public hearing was opened by the Chair. The only persons in attendance were the property owner, Steven Genz, and his architect Jeff Hogsted of JDH Designs. Mr. Genz spoke to the Commission about his proposed plan and answered Commissioner questions. Commissioner Lageson offered the suggestion that plumbing not be located in the outside north wall, which was taken to heart by the designer. Mr. Hogsted also spoke briefly about the design and answered questions. There being no one else who wished to speak, the Chair closed the hearing. Tracy moved, Lageson seconded, that the Commission recommend approval of the variance. The ensuing discussion centered on the lot coverage issue and whether the variance should be granted when there is an option (removing the patio) that would make a variance unnecessary. Commissioner Ryan said he is struggling over this point, although he appreciated the applicant making an effort to eliminate other pavements and the shed. The same discomfort was shared by other Commissioners, in view of the fact that the Commission spent so much working on lot coverage • in 2002. In the end, the motion to recommend approval passed, 4 in favor, 2 opposed. City of Falcon Heights -Planning Commission Meeting of August 24, 2004 -Page 1 of 2