04/23/2001 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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• • • STAFF ORIGINATOR: C. C. MEETING DATE: TOPIC: ACTION REQUIRED: BACKGROUND Jeff Smyser April 23, 2001 Resolution 01 -55: Variance Application Steve Dahlstrom, 6641 East Shadow Drive 3/5 vote Mr. Steve Dahlstrom has submitted an application for a variance from the side yard setback requirement in an R -1 zoning district. He wants to construct a large addition to his existing house. The setback requirement for a garage differs from the setback for the house. Mr. Dahlstrom's addition includes garage space on the main level with additional bedrooms over the garage. This living space must meet the larger setback, which is the reason a variance is needed. ANALYSIS The property is in an R -1 Single Family zoning district. The side yard setbacks are 10 feet for the principal building, 5 feet for an accessory building. A garage, even an attached garage, is considered an accessory building. Therefore, a garage wall must be 5 feet from the side property line. The house itself must be 10 feet. Adding garage space would need to meet the 5' setback. Living space must meet the 10' setback. Since the proposed new living space would be less than 10' from the property line, a variance is needed. Please note that the letter from Mr. Dahlstrom was written before the survey was prepared, so the distances in his letter are estimated. As shown on the submitted survey, the front corner of the existing garage wall is 4.19 feet from the side lot line. (It is unknown why this was not built at the 5 ft. setback.) The rear corner of the existing garage is approximately 7 1/2' from the side lot line. (This is a scaled measurement of the submitted survey: it is not shown on the survey.) Therefore, at its closest point, the new addition will be about 7 1/2' from the property line. This is 2 1/2' less than the required 10' setback, or about 25% less. The proposed addition will be 23' 8" high at the peak of the roof. The house next door at 6634 East Shadow Lake Drive is 16.01 feet from the property line. A submitted letter indicates that the neighbors, the Sandstroms, have no objection to the project. The existing home has approximately 1000 sf of living space, with some additional space in the lower level. This is just over the minimum 980 sf required in the zoning ordinance for a split level. The house has two bedrooms