Laserfiche WebLink
Mounds View Planning Commission May 2, 2012 <br />Regular Meeting Page 2 <br />________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br />4. Citizens Requests and Comments on Items Not on the Agenda <br /> <br />None. <br />______________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br />5. Planning Cases <br /> <br />A. VR2012-002 and VR2012-003 Consideration of a Variance Requests to <br />Allow Adjacent Driveways to Remain with Zero Setbacks. <br /> Address: 5045 Eastwood Road Address: 5046 Rainbow Lane <br /> Applicant: Blaine & Mary Fyksen Applicant: Gordon & Marilyn Davis <br /> <br />Planning Associate Heller indicated the applicants are requesting a variance to allow adjacent <br />driveways to remain with zero setbacks. The properties are located at 5045 Eastwood Road and <br />5046 Rainbow Lane. She reviewed the location of the homes explaining each home has a <br />detached garage located next to each other that access County Road H. <br /> <br />Associate Heller explained the driveways are currently combined and have been for the last 50 <br />years. Both driveways are in need of replacement, which would mean they would have to be <br />brought into current code compliance with a 5-foot setback. However, both property owners are <br />requesting variances in order to keep the driveways combined, although they are planning to <br />separate the driveways near the garages with a four-foot wide area of landscaping. She noted the <br />variances were being requested to assist the homeowners with safety when entering and exiting <br />their driveways. County Road H has become a busy road, and these properties are very close to <br />an elementary school. The property owners want to be able to turn vehicles around in the <br />driveways and drive forward to exit the driveway, rather than backing out onto County Road H. <br /> <br />Associate Heller stated this was a public hearing and no comments have been received from <br />neighbors. She commented both property owners were present this evening. Staff recommended <br />the Commission hold a public hearing and adopt the Resolutions. <br /> <br />Chair Stevenson opened the public hearing at 7:11 p.m. <br /> <br />Commissioner Schiltgen questioned what the applicants were proposing to plant in between the <br />driveways. <br /> <br />Blaine Fyksen, 5045 Eastwood Road, commented shrubs and grass would be planted to create a <br />separation between the driveways. He explained that Ramsey County would also need to <br />approve the driveway access since they have jurisdiction over County Road H. Mr. Fyksen <br />indicated the new concrete surface would be a great improvement over the current paved surface. <br /> <br />Chair Stevenson was pleased that the neighbors were working together on this issue and that the <br />combined driveway offered both families safer access to County Road H. <br /> <br />Chair Stevenson closed the public hearing at 7:16 p.m.