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