Agenda Packets - 2003/04/07 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Item No: 17 Meeting Date: April 7, 2003 Type of Business: Worksession City of Mounds View Staff Report To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: James Ericson, Acting City Administrator Item Title/Subject: Discuss Possibility of Amending the Zoning Code to Restrict Expansion of Existing Multi-Family Developments Introduction: Recently the City reviewed a request from a rental property owner who intended to expand his four-plex into a six-plex. For that particular building, the Zoning Code would have allowed for an additional two units as long as the appropriate amount of parking is provided. Discussion: The Planning Commission reviewed a variance request and denied the request associated with the expansion. (The property owner wanted to expand without providing the additional parking.) The Council upheld the Planning Commission’s denial. However, it appears as though the property owner can provide the parking necessary which would involve building another three-stall garage, another driveway and additional parking in established greenspace. Residents in the area are not in favor of expanding the four-plexes as density and parking issues are already a problem, even if there is room on the lot to build garages and parking lots. The Planning Commission would be in favor of amending the code in some way to preserve the density levels at existing multi-family complexes, and it may be as easy as requiring that any expansions be reviewed as a conditional use so that density, parking and other neighborhood impacts can be reviewed and taken into consideration. It may be the case in some locations where expansion would not be a problem, and requiring a conditional use permit for the expansion would not prohibit that.. Recommendation: Discuss and consider whether additional controls on multi-family expansions are needed. _____________________________________ James Ericson Interim City Clerk/Administrator