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8382 Knollwood Drive Variance Appeal Report June 8, 2015 Page 2 a. The variance is in harmony with the general purposes and intent of these regulations. The zoning code limits driveway openings for traffic safety reasons, and for neighborhood aesthetics. Staff feels that limiting the applicant to a 24 foot wide curb cut would not be depriving him of something commonly enjoyed by other properties in the same district. b. The variance is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan does not address this specific of an issue, but traffic safety and management is an important function for the City. By limiting the curb cut width, less vehicles can be parked next each other near the street which improves visibility when exiting out of a driveway and the streets are safer. Keeping driveway openings smaller, and consistent in size betters the aesthetics of the neighborhood. c. The applicant proposes to use the property in a reasonable manner not permitted by this Title or the City Code. The driveway is the same width as the 3-car garage. The applicant is requesting to keep the curb cut 34 feet wide for easier access to all three garage stalls. d. Unique circumstances apply to the property which do not apply to other properties in the same zone or vicinity and result from lot size or shape, topography or other circumstances over which the owner of the property since the enactment of this Title has had no control. The unique circumstances do not result from the actions of the applicant. There are no unique circumstances that apply to this property. The applicant did not build this house or install the driveway. He purchased the house with the existing driveway in 1989. e. The variance does not alter the essential character of the neighborhood. The applicant’s neighborhood consists of larger sized lots. The driveway would remain as it has since 1977 and would not change the character of the neighborhood. f. The variance requested is the minimum variance which would alleviate the practical difficulties. Economic conditions alone do not constitute practical difficulties. The 10-foot variance is the minimum variance needed in order for the driveway apron to remain the same width as the rest of the driveway. g. The Planning Commission may impose such conditions upon the premises benefited by a variance as may be necessary to comply with the standards established by this Title or to reduce or minimize the effect of such variance upon other properties in the neighborhood, and to better carry out the intent of the variance. The condition must be directly related to and must bear a rough proportionality to the impact created by the variance. Staff has no suggestions for conditions for the variance request. The Planning Commission may add conditions as they see applicable.