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Mounds View Planning Commission September 19, 2007 Regular Meeting Page 2 5. Planning Cases A. VR2007-002: Consideration of a Variance for a Reduced Driveway Setback Planning Assistant Heller reported the applicant, Cory Mathiowetz, is requesting a variance to permit a driveway with a two foot setback from the property line. She stated he currently has a very narrow, 8.5 foot wide, dirt driveway about three feet off the property line, which has been in place probably since the house was built in 1940. She stated that in October 2006, a conditional use permit was approved for Mr. Mathiowetz to construct a new oversize garage. She reported new garage was built, and the applicant would now like to replace the dirt driveway with a 13.5 foot wide concrete driveway. City Code requires that all driveways be at least five feet from the property line. Planning Associate Heller stated that when the house was built, it was placed much closer to the east side of the property, which leaves a limited amount of room for a driveway to run next to the house in order to reach the garage in the rear. The house is setback approximately 19 to 20 feet off the property line. She reported that the neighbor to the east staked out where he felt the property line is, and if the applicant agrees with this location, he has a little more room next to the house than he originally thought. Planning Associate Heller reported that in 2002, County Road H2 was reconstructed and concrete curbing was installed. She stated the contractor placed each driveway curb cut in line with the existing driveways; the curb cut for this property was placed against the east property line, possibly due to the location of a stormwater drain on the west side of the driveway. She indicated that Mr. Mathiowetz would like the driveway to be fairly straight in from the street rather than having it immediately jog over five feet. She mentioned the Public Works staff has said the applicant could expand the curb cut slightly on the west side in order to keep the driveway off of the property line, but due to the stormwater drain, the expansion area is limited to about 18 inches. Planning Associate Heller reported the easterly neighbor’s property ranges from approximately two to six feet higher than the applicant’s lot, and the grade changes immediately at the property line, which causes much of the neighbor’s stormwater to drain onto Mr. Mathiowetz’s property. She stated that because of this, the applicant would like to put a 3 foot wide rock/drain tile strip between the house and new driveway, rather than having the driveway right next to the house and allowing water to run against the foundation. Planning Associate Heller stated that the hardships for this property are the existing curb cut being on the property line and the limited ability to expand it westward, the location of the house on the lot, and the much higher neighboring property. Vice Chair Miller opened the public hearing at 7:14 p.m. Commissioner Walsh-Kaczmarek asked if the new driveway would be concrete or asphalt.