05-20-2015 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Item No: 5B Meeting Date: May 20, 2015 Type of Business: Planning Case City of Mounds View Staff Report To: Mounds View Planning Commission From: Heidi Heller, Planning Associate Item Title/Subject: Public Hearing - Consideration of a Variance for a Reduced Driveway Setback at 7930 Sunnyside Road; Planning Case VR2015-003 Introduction: The applicant, James Anderson, is requesting approval of a variance for a reduced driveway setback on his property at 7930 Sunnyside Road. The applicant’s driveway runs next to the house to access the detached garage which is behind the house. The applicant is replacing the entire driveway and is requesting that it be allowed to stay in the same location, which has a 2- foot setback. The Zoning Code requires a 5-foot setback, so the applicant has requested a variance for a reduced driveway setback. Discusssion: The 11-foot wide driveway currently runs next to the house in order to access the detached garage behind the house. The applicant is in the process of replacing the entire driveway. In order to have enough room to drive next to the house, the applicant would like the driveway to remain at 11 feet wide with a 2-foot setback. The Zoning Code states that the Planning Commission may issue a variance to provide relief to the landowner in those cases where the Code imposes practical difficulties to the property owner in the use of the property owner’s land. This is true for all variance requests. State statutes require that the governing body 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. A variance may be granted only in the event that all of the following circumstances exist: a. The variance is in harmony with the general purposes and intent of these regulations. The zoning code requires minimum driveway setbacks for aesthetics and to provide separation and some sense of privacy between neighbors. Mounds View has many older homes that had detached garages added after the home was built. These garages were typically placed behind the house because there wasn’t enough room next to the house. Now years later when the driveways need to be replaced, they don’t meet the current zoning code, but there often isn’t an option to bring the driveway into compliance and still maintain its usability. b. The variance is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan does not specify setback criteria, but it does support improvements to properties.