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NWAC <br />MEMORANDUM <br />NORTHWEST ASSOCIATED CONSULTANTS <br />COMMUNITY PLANNING - DESIGN - MARKET RESEARCH <br />TO: Little Canada Planning Commission <br />FROM: Stephen Grittman <br />DATE: May 11, 1999 <br />RE: Little Canada - Thul Rear Yard Setback Variance <br />FILE NO: 758.09 - 99.13 <br />Mr. Rick Thul has applied for a rear yard setback variance which would allow him to <br />construct a new attached garage, while remodeling his existing detached garage into living <br />space and attached it to the house. Due to the limits on garage floor area, the applicant <br />can not add significant additional garage space to the property. To create the attached <br />garage, the applicant must remove other garage space on the lot. In this case, he <br />proposes to make the existing garage space into attached livable space via a covered <br />walkway between the existing garage building and the house. <br />The problem which is raised by this request is that the existing detached garage appears <br />to be just 26 feet from the rear lot line - within the 30 foot rear yard requirement for <br />principal buildings (but allowable for detached accessory buildings). As a result, Mr. Thul <br />is requesting a rear yard setback variance of four feet. <br />Variances are to be reviewed based upon the ability to put the property to reasonable use <br />under the regulations of the zoning ordinance. If special conditions exist which create a <br />hardship in complying with the regulations, then the City may consider granting a variance <br />to allow reasonable use of the land. However, the City has declined to approve other <br />requests for rear yard building encroachments. Staff would be concerned that approval <br />of this variance would not be consistent with other decisions which have disallowed small <br />encroachments of new living space into the 30 foot rear yard. <br />Without the approval of a variance, Mr. Thul would have to make the existing garage <br />conform to the 30 foot setback, either by moving the structure or removing four feet of the <br />5775 WAYZATA BOULEVARD. cI I ITF 555 ST. LOUIS PARK, MINNESOTA 5541 6 <br />PHONE 61 2 -595 -9636 FA) Page 71 <br />E -MAIL NAC @ WINTERNET.COM <br />