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MINUTES <br />PLANNING COMMISSION <br />MAY 9, 2019 <br /> <br /> - 8 - <br />the Labore Road frontage as required by both districts. She reported that <br />the City Attorney has reviewed the proposed site plan and confirmed that <br />the Labore Road frontage is considered the front yard, and with a double <br />frontage lot then both street frontages are required to meet the minimum lot <br />width. She stated the applicant is seeking a reduced lot width requirement <br />for Lots 1 and 2 to allow a 17.4 foot lot width on the Labore Road frontage. <br /> <br />The Associate Planner stated that the directive of the past City Council will <br />understandably be a factor in your consideration. She noted that city staff <br />asked for input from the City Attorney on this matter and he has indicated <br />that the present Planning Commission and City Council are not bound by <br />past Council decisions. The Associate Planner stated that the 2006 <br />restriction to Labore Road access was agreed to by the Owner, and per the <br />City Attorney was contractual in nature. She stated that as a contract <br />whose terms run with the land, the current Owner is bound to recognize it. <br />Mr. Yargici again is not disputing his understanding of this condition, but <br />is seeking to have that decision reversed. <br /> <br />The Associate Planner reported that Mr. Yargici has had discussions with <br />Ramsey County since Keller Parkway is a county road and they have <br />regulatory authority over access approval, and they have indicated that two <br />additional access points could be established along this stretch. She stated <br />that this speaks to the feasibility of access off Keller Parkway. <br /> <br />The Associate Planner stated that another piece of the variance review are <br />the two Labore Road side access points. She reported that when staff <br />reviewed the 10 foot-wide driveway proposal with only three feet on either <br />side of the driveway, there is concern for snow storage and it falling onto <br />the neighboring properties. She stated the applicant is seeking two access <br />points off of Labore Road that are each 17.4 feet wide, but an alternative <br />could be one access point with a shared driveway, although noted that there <br />can be issues with shared driveways. She noted that the City Code does not <br />allow for shared driveways but it is not unheard of in other cities. Shared <br />driveways can become problematic for ongoing maintenance and use of <br />space between neighbors, but this is slightly different in that it would be <br />roughly 20% of the driveway that is shared between the two properties. <br />The Associate Planner indicated that Planning Staff has not researched <br />shared driveways, but rather is only suggesting that there may be alternate <br />layouts if the Labore Road access is to be considered. <br /> <br />The Associate Planner reported that the City Attorney in their review has <br />reiterated that economic factors such as one access over another may be <br />more expensive to construct or that a tuck under garage is harder to market <br />should not be a basis for granting a variance. She stated the City Attorney <br />has also advised that if the City is to vary from the Keller Parkway access