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<br />c. The applicant can demonstrate that there are “practical difficulties” in complying with the <br />regulation(s) in question. Determination of whether practical difficulties exist shall be based <br />on the following: <br /> <br />1. The property owner proposes to use the property in a reasonable manner permitted by this <br />ordinance; <br /> <br />2. The plight of the land owner is due to circumstances unique to the property not created <br />by the landowner; <br /> <br />3. The variance will maintain the essential character of the locality. <br /> <br />2. Practical difficulties include, but are not limited to, inadequate access to direct sun light for <br />solar energy systems. <br /> <br />3. Economic considerations alone shall not constitute a sufficient basis for a Variance if <br />reasonable use for the property exists under the regulation. <br /> <br />4. Variances shall be granted for earth-sheltered construction as defined in Minnesota Statutes <br />216C, Subd. 14, when in harmony with this ordinance. <br /> <br />5. The City Council may impose conditions in the granting of a variance. Such conditions <br />must be directly related to and bear a rough proportionality to the impact created by the <br />variance. <br /> <br />The applicant has submitted supplemental information regarding the existing conditions and <br />unique circumstances related to this property. Lapham Hickey seeks to expand 2 of 3 bays of their <br />production floor to increase the volume of their operations. Due to the demand for steel, <br />fabrication has increased considerably in the metro area and Lapham Hickey’s current space is <br />inadequate in keeping pace with this demand. In the existing warehouse, there are three overhead <br />cranes used for moving large steel pieces across the facility to machinery for different processes. <br />The proposed plan would be to expand two overhead crane bays to extend the production floor <br />210 feet. In order to make this plan feasible, the proposed expansion needs to utilize the existing <br />crane infrastructure and expand it northwards so that the flow of the assembly line remains <br />continuous. This requires that the layout of the addition is calibrated in such a way that the new <br />crane rail and structure aligns exactly with the existing crane path. These rigid parameters result <br />in the proposed addition being located 6’ set back from the east property line as opposed to the <br />required 20-foot rear yard setback. <br /> <br />The applicant believes that these constraints provide for a practical necessity of a setback <br />variance: a 20’ building setback would impede the flow of production since the eastern crane <br />runway would no longer be able to be expanded and Lapham Hickey’s growth of production <br />potential at this property would be stunted indefinitely. By granting a 6’ rear setback variance, <br />Lapham Hickey will be able to expand their production line in such a way that improves not only <br />efficiency, but worker safety as well since cranes will run continuously without obstacle across the