02-12-09 Planning Comm. Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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February 4, 2009 City of Little Canada Zoning and Commission 515 Little Canada Road East Little Canada, MN 55117 To Whom It May Concern: We are interested in renting our home to four women, one of them being our daughter. In doing some research, we have discovered that the Little Canada Zoning Ordinance prohibits more than three unrelated people to live together in a single family dwelling. After discussing this with Steve Grittman, we have decided to ask that a special exception to this ordinance be granted due to some unique circumstances. We have a 21 year old daughter who is developmentally disabled. We feel that at this age it would be beneficial for the continuance of her growth and independence to live out on her own with people who have similar disabilities. In our efforts to have her placed in a group home, we have discovered that the State of Minnesota and Ramsey County have discontinued additional housing placement for adults with disabilities. Due to these budget cuts, many families like ours are finding it very difficult to find independent housing for their young adults with disabilities. Therefore, with the help of our daughters Ramsey County Case Worker, Angela Ellis, we are attempting to provide an alternative for ourselves and three other families in the Little Canada area. All four of our families and many more are in similar situations. Our two story home has five bedrooms, three bathrooms and a large yard. It would make an excellent home for the women. The home would be staffed with professional care attendants and overseen by a house manager. All four women are involved in work programs within the community, which they attend on a daily basis. None of the women will be in the home unsupervised at any time. The maintenance and care of the property will be overseen by our family. With the help of Angela Ellis from Ramsey County, we have examined and found that it will require the living expense budgets of four women to support the operational costs of the home. This is why we are asking you to consider the addition of one extra unrelated person to occupy this residence. Our daughter feels very comfortable and safe in the Little Canada area. Along with the other women, she has many friends and family nearby. After much consideration, we feel that this is an excellent solution for our four families and we all appreciate your consideration of our unique circumstances. Sincerely, ~ ~ ~~~~f/~ ~,~~ ~ William M. Galvin Renee B. Galvin 882 Westwind Drive Little Canada, MN 55109