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NORTHWEST ASSOCIATED CONSULTANTS, INC. <br />4800 Olson Memorial Highway, Suite 202, Golden Valley, MN 55422 <br />Telephone: 763.231 .2555 Facsimile: 763.231.2561 planners @nacplanning.com <br />MEMORANDUM <br />TO: Mayor Blesener and Little Canada City Council <br />FROM: Stephen Grittman <br />DATE: June 21, 2007 <br />RE: Little Canada — French Detached Garage CUP <br />FILE NO: 758.09 - 07.18 <br />The Planning Commission recommended approval of the French Garage CUP based <br />on the layout presented by the applicant. This layout utilizes the existing driveway on <br />the south side of the lot (which will "dead end" when the existing garage is converted to <br />living space), but then relies on a driveway that loops through the front yard and around <br />the north side of the house to access the new garage. The applicant stated that the <br />purpose for retaining the existing driveway was to provide for a parking space near the <br />existing front entrance. <br />The zoning ordinance permits parking of vehicles in the front yard only on driveways <br />that lead directly to a garage. As designed, the applicant's parking area would not meet <br />this criterion. As such, staff had recommended that the applicant swing the new <br />driveway around the south side of the home. The applicant argues that this is <br />impractical due to the grade on that side of the parcel. In the alternative, a driveway <br />along the north property boundary would serve this purpose as well, avoiding the illegal <br />parking issue, reducing the amount of front yard paving, and be nearly the same <br />distance from the front entrance as the existing driveway. <br />The applicant's objection to this design primarily related to the additional work required <br />to add a sidewalk, add a new culvert, remove the existing driveway and re- landscape <br />the area. It appears that only nominal additional cost would be incurred, if any, and <br />there would actually be a reduction in new driveway construction. Planning staff <br />continues to support a revised driveway layout. <br />pc: Kathy Glanzer <br />Steve Westerhaus <br />Lee Elfering <br />Roy French, 2988 Edgerton St. <br />