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LAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL MINUTES FEBRUARY 17, 1987 PAGE 7 6. variance to side yard (interior) setback - 10 feet existing 20 feet required. 7. variance to minimum lot size - 0.30 acres existing, 1.5 acres required. 8. variance to minimum lot width - 120 feet existing, 150 required. 9. variance to corner lot sight distance - 100 feet unimpeded sight distance on either side of TH5/Laverne Avenue intersection. The principal, building extends about 20 feet into this area. Mayor Christ has talked to Mrs. Geraldine Eder who lives next door to this building. She has seen Richard Kosman's plans which would improve the looks of the building, but she had a concern on the hours and days of operation. Mayor Christ felt this was an impassive use for the building and the use will be no more non -conforming than the previous use, and he would be supportive of the variance requests. Councilman Moe had talked to Jean Novak and she pointed out to him that almost every business we have is a non -conforming business. Moe suggested we come up with a set of legalities that would recognize this. Councilwoman Armstrong explained that Mr. Kosman's name comes up as being a good businessman in the community and appreciates that he runs a respectable business. She had a problem with granting nine variances and the lot is only one -fifth the size of what is required. Granted it was a mess before, but we were looking at outside junk. This is different from what we are talking about. We are talking about a business going on inside of the building, where probably the business before didn't affect the neighborhood a great deal -where the junk on the outside is what everybody noticed.. We have a zoning code to keep up the character of the community and to benefit the businesses and residents around these businesses and keep their property values up. The days of the quonset but may have been a good idea at the time, but we have an opportunity now to tell someone that a quonset but is not acceptable anymore. Councilman Graves stated that he hates to grant nine variances, but looks at this as being a continuation of a non -conforming use. Graves felt this would be an improvement of what we have and the alternative basically is to condemn the property. He felt Kosman was a good resident• of Lake Elmo and would like to keep him. This would be in keeping with the City's goal of eliminating Industrial zoning. Councilman Johnson stated that you have nine variances required, realizing eight already exist, but on the other hand. the City has an opportunity to upgrade what Is now an "eyesore". He questioned