Laserfiche WebLink
Item No: 7C <br />Meeting Date: July 27, 2009 <br />Type of Business: Action <br />Administrator Review: ______ <br /> <br />City of Mounds View Staff Report <br /> <br /> <br />To: Honorable Mayor and City Council <br />From: Ken Roberts, Community Development Director <br />Item Title/Subject: Proposed Code Amendments, Ordinances 827-832 <br /> <br /> <br />Introduction: <br /> <br />Over the past few years, Community Development staff has been compiling a list of city <br />code amendments that should be made. The discovery of a needed code amendment <br />comes about in many ways, such as, something in the community or general practices <br />change, staff discovers that there is a better way to operate, issues or requests from <br />residents or city attorney recommendations. <br /> <br /> <br />Discussion: <br /> <br />Here is a list of code amendments that staff is proposing: <br /> <br />• Remove the word “decks” from allowed encroachments (Chapter 1104.01 Subd. <br />5c) – the code allows certain things to encroach beyond the building setbacks, such as a <br />front door stoop or steps, bay windows, chimneys, eaves, awnings, etc. The code currently <br />has the word decks in this list, but the code also has a specific setback requirement for <br />decks. As such, it should be removed from this section. <br /> <br />• Clarify and simplify accessory building height (Chapter 1106.03 Subd. 1b) - The <br />Code currently states that accessory buildings shall not exceed 15 feet in height, which is <br />measured at the midpoint between the eave and highest peak. This is very difficult for staff <br />to verify during an inspection, and confusing for property owners when they are designing <br />the building. Staff would like to change the code for accessory buildings in residential <br />districts - the height shall not exceed 20 feet or that of the principal structure, whichever is <br />less, as measured at the highest peak. <br /> <br />• Remove the R-O, Residential-Office zoning district (Chapter 1111)– there has <br />been only one property (2865 Highway 10) that was zoned R-O. The City recently rezoned <br />this property to R-4 for the senior living development. Thus, there are no properties zoned <br />R-O in Mounds View, and staff does not foresee the City using this zoning designation in <br />the future. As such, staff recommends that the City eliminate this zoning designation from <br />the City Code.