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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.corn <br />MEMORANDUM <br />TO: Little Canada Planning Commission <br />FROM: Michelle Barness /Stephen Grittman <br />DATE: July 3, 2012 <br />RE: Little Canada — Tim Mercil Front Yard Garage Variance <br />FILE NO: 758.09 —12.09 <br />Background and Analysis <br />Tim Mercil of 3246 Twin Lake Road has submitted a variance application to permit <br />construction of a detached garage in his front yard, and to allow for a reduced front yard <br />setback for the garage. The property is a single family parcel which was developed as part of <br />a 3 -part lot split in 1986. <br />In the past the parcel has utilized a driveway situated in a 20 foot road easement on the north <br />end of the property. This original driveway borders the back lot line of the property to the west <br />of the applicant, approaching from Twin Lake Road. Mr. Mercil is currently proposing building <br />a new garage on the south side of his home, off of Mitchell Trail, which is a dead end drive <br />ending at his neighbors house and garage to the east. He would essentially share 100' of their <br />300' drive. <br />The open space portion of the applicant's home to the south has been legally designated as <br />his front yard, despite the fact that the front door of his home faces the yard on the north side <br />of his house (making it his unofficial front yard). The applicable issue is the definition of front <br />yard, which uniformly designates that portion of the lot fronting on a street right of way as the <br />front, regardless of how the lot has been developed privately. The address for this lot was <br />assigned as Twin Lake Road at the time of the original subdivision in the mid- 1980s, prior to <br />the existence of Mitchell Trail, which was platted later. Hence Mr. Mercil has need of a <br />variance to allow him to build a garage on the south end of his house. <br />When considering variances, the City is required to find that there are practical difficulties in <br />complying with the zoning regulations, and that due to unique conditions on the property, the <br />applicant's alternative results in using the parcel in a reasonable manner. When the City can <br />find that the requisite conditions exist, it may grant the variance. <br />14 <br />