03-09-06 Planning Comm. Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES CITY COUNCIL DECEMBER 14, 2005 in the standard blueprint was for the reasons of improved traffic safety, snow storage, and visibility as discussed previously. Blesener suggested that the City Planner verify that these reasons are still valid today, and also report on how other cities handle the issue of horseshoe driveways. Blesener stated that he personally felt it was safer to pull out of a driveway into traffic than it was to back out. Again, Blesener suggested that the Variance request be tabled to give the City additional time to study the issue. Heidi Murphy asked what the City will do relative to the existing horseshoe driveways in the event that their request is not approved. The City Administrator noted that seven of these driveways are grandfathered in, and nine were put in on County roads, although some of the roads have since been turned over to the City. The Administrator noted that the County appears to have had no trouble in granting these additional curb cuts, although their practice has obviously changed given the County's desire to limit curb cuts on Little Canada Road when it was being redeveloped. The Administrator also commented that the traffic levels on County Road B-2 are much lower than some City streets, such as Edgerton Street. He also noted that the City's code enforcement efforts are much more intense today than they were previously. Therefore, as with the horseshoe driveway on Sunset Court that the Building Official missed, other such driveways were put in by property owners without the City being aware that a second curb cuC had been installed. Allan asked how many requests for horseshoe driveways the City has denied. The City Administrator indicated that he was not sure of the number, but would asked the Building Official for an estimate. Mr. LaValle introduced the following resolution and moved its adoption: RESOLUTION NO. 2005-12-284 -CONTINUING THE PUBLIC HEARING ON REQUEST FOR A VARIANCE TO ALLOW A SECOND CURB CUT FOR 607 EAST COUNTY ROAD B-2 TO THE MARCH 22, 2006 COUNCIL MEETING SUBJECT TO MR. MIKE MURPHY SIGNING ASIXTY-DAY WAIVER ALLOWING THE CITY ADDITIONAL TIME TO STUDY THIS MATTER FURTHER, AND IN THE EVENT THAT THE SIXTY-DAY WAIVER IS NOT SIGNED, THE PUBLIC HEARING WILL HEREBY BE CLOSED AND THE REQUEST FOR VARIANCE DENIED ON THE GROUNDS THAT THERE IS NO HARDSHIP PRESENT TO WARRANT GRANTING OF THE VARIANCE 6