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<br />Item No: 5A <br />Meeting Date: December 7, 2011 <br />Type of Business: Public Hearing <br />City of Mounds View Staff Report <br /> <br />To: Mounds View Planning Commission <br />From: Heidi Heller, Planning Associate <br />Item Title/Subject: Consideration of a Variance to allow a Detached Accessory <br />Building to Exceed the Maximum Height Limit at 8027 <br />Woodlawn Drive; Planning Case VR11-008 <br />Introduction: <br /> <br />The applicant, Tim Downing, property owner of 8027 Woodlawn Drive, is requesting a <br />variance to allow the height of his detached accessory building to exceed the maximum <br />height limit of 18 feet. Mr. Downing has built a second garage on his property that is 22 <br />feet 10 inches tall. <br />Discussion: <br /> <br />In October 2007, the applicant was issued a building permit to construct a detached <br />accessory building on his property. The building plans submitted were for a typical style, <br />single story, 936 square foot detached garage. At the time the permit was issued, the <br />Zoning Code height limit was 15 feet as measured midway between the peak and the eave. <br />Mr. Downing’s garage plans showed a height of 11 feet at the midway point, which met the <br />current zoning code. In November 2009 the Zoning Code was amended, and the height <br />limit for accessory buildings was changed to 18 feet at the highest point. <br /> <br />Mr. Downing did not start work on the garage for a long time, and the City Building Official <br />granted several extensions for his building permit in order to keep the permit “active” until <br />he had time to start construction. Per the building code, a building permit will stay active as <br />long as some construction work is being done at least every 6 months. If after 6 months no <br />work has been done, the permit will expire. The applicant may submit a written request for <br />an extension of their permit, which the Building Official may grant at their discretion. <br /> <br />A footing inspection for the garage was finally done by the City building inspector on August <br />31, 2010, and the floor slab was poured the next week. After that, the City did not receive <br />any requests from Mr. Downing for more inspections. In late August 2011, Staff became <br />aware that a 2-story garage had been constructed on the applicant’s property. After <br />reviewing the permit application, staff saw that the garage Mr. Downing built was very <br />different from the plans he had submitted in 2007. The Building Official attempted to <br />contact Mr. Downing in late August 2011, and again in September after receiving no <br />response to the first letter. In early October 2011, staff finally spoke with Mr. Downing and <br />he submitted a drawing of the as-built garage showing the garage height to the peak was <br />22 feet 10 inches. At that time, staff informed him that he would need to either reduce the <br />height of the garage or apply for a variance. Mr. Downing chose to apply for a variance. <br />