06-23-2004 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

MINUTES PLANNING COMMISSION JUNE 10, 2004 The City Planner indicated that if the City's goal is to control garage placement, then the Residential PUD is the best option. If the goal is to maintain a minimum 15 -foot separation between structures, then the Text Amendment is the way to go. Rheaume indicated that maintaining a 15 -foot separation through a 7 -1/2 foot side yard setback could be problematic in that a 7 -1/2 foot side yard setback may be too narrow to provide access to a backyard without trespassing on the neighbor's property. The Planner indicated that his point in suggesting the 7 -1/2 foot setback was to discourage reliance on a neighbor's property for determining setback. For example, if the neighbor's garage is 5 feet from the property line and the minimum building separation is 15 feet, the adjacent property owner must maintain a 10 -foot setback. Knudsen agreed that it was not an optimal situation to have to rely on a neighbor's property to determine setback. Keis pointed out that there is limited land left to develop in the City, therefore, questioned the extent of the impact of the Text Amendment. Knudsen disagreed pointing out that there are many property owners which might want to construct third garages thus a change in setback would have a big impact. Rheaume felt that the Residential PUD gave the City more control. However, agreed that the availability of a reduced side yard setback was limited to larger developments rather than individual property owners. Barraclough asked if there was a way to review a reduced side yard setback on a case -by -case basis, rather than adopting the Text Amendment and opening the issue up. The City Planner replied that that would involve a Variance request, and there would have to be a hardship present to warrant granting the variance. Barraclough pointed out that there was a property owner on Stark Street who requested a Variance for a reduced side yard setback to add another garage stall. That Variance request was denied. Barraclough stated that he did not want to see property owners have to incur the additional expense of having to survey their neighbor's property. The City Planner indicated that there is currently a provision in the Code that allows for a 5 -foot setback on one side yard for homes constructed prior to 1980.