2001 Planning Commission Packets

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i _ ; � _ :, . , i ,. ..: Item # 5 City of Mounds View '° Planning Commission Report MeetingDate: November 7, 2001 Title: CONSIDERATION OF A VARIANCE REQUEST TO DEVIATE FROM SUPPLEMNTAL PLATTING REQUIREMENTS ARTICULATED IN CHAPTER 1014 OF THE MOUNDS V�W CITY C�DE Background: On May 15, 2001, Marty Harstad, representing his father, Keith Harstad, applied for a major subdivision to subdivide the undeveloped property south of County Road H2 between Silver Lake Road and Longview Drive. The parcel, which is slightly larger than seven acres, lies completely within the wetland zoning district and about half of �he parcel has been delineated as wetland. As such, the requirements of Chapter 1010 apply to this proposed development. The standard platting requirements contained within Chapter1202 of the City Code require a minimunn lot size of 11,000 square feet and a minimum lot width of 75 feet. The Preliminary Plat originally submitted by Mr. Harstad conformed to and exceeded these standards. The wetland -='� zoning district regulations contained in Chap�er 1010 regarding subdivisions of land require a _ minimum lot size of 20,000 square feet and a minimum iot width of 125 feet, As a result of these requirements, the preliminary plat was redrawn to show all of the lots 'sn excess of ihe 20,000 square foot minimum. Orily one of the �ots, however, can satisfy the 125-foot width requirement which has prompted the variance request. The Planning Commission held a public hearing on October 17, 2001 and took testimony from the residents and the applicant. After closing the public hearing, the Commission discussed the request at great length yet did not arrive at any consensus regarding the applicability of the hardship standards. Discussion: As was indicated on October 17, for this variance to be approved, the applicant must demonstrate that a substantial hardship or practica.l difficulties exist which make a literal interpretation ofthe Code overly burdensome or restrictive to the property owner. State statutes require that the governing body (the Planning Commission) review a set of specified criteria for each application and make its decision in accordance with these criteria. These criteria are set forth in Section 1125.02, Subdivision 2, of the City Code. The Code clearly states that a hardship exists when all of the criteria are met. The individual criteria, with sta.�s original responses, are as follows: