04-19-2006 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Code Review April 19, 2006 Page 6 Terrace Definitions Arden Hills Undefined Blaine Undefined, however terraces is included in a list of encroachments attached to a house Circle Pines While undefined, the Code refers to a Terrace as a permitted encroachment similar to that of a deck or patio. Coon Rapids Undefined Cottage Grove A relatively level area bordered on one or more sides by a retaining wall Fridley Undefined Little Canada While undefined, the Code refers to a Terrace as a permitted encroachment along with steps, uncovered porches, decks, stoops, or similar features, New Brighton Undefined Shoreview Undefined St. Anthony While undefined, the Code refers to a Terrace as a permitted encroachment similar to that of a deck or patio. Vadnais Heights Undefined The Mounds View City Code, similar to the Codes for Blaine, Circle Pines, Little Canada and St. Anthony, refers to a Terrace only when addressing “encroachments” and in all cases is grouped with other uses such as decks, patios and uncovered porches. Section 1104.02 Subd 5c reads as follows: Subd. 5. Encroachments: The following shall not be considered as encroachments on yard setback requirements. c. Terraces, steps, decks, stoops or similar features; provided, they do not extend above the height of the ground floor level of the principal structure or to a distance less than two feet (2') from any lot line. A terrace, while not defined in our Code, is generally regarded as an outdoor, open air seating area. Online resources define terrace as “a garden or landscape element where a raised, flat paved or graveled section overlooks a scenic view, providing a transition between the hard materials of the architecture and softer ones of the garden.” The Webster’s New World Dictionary defines terrace as “a paved area immediately adjacent to a house, usually overlooking a garden or lawn; something comparable to a veranda.” Attached to this report are photos of terraces found on the Internet. When used as in the form of an adjective, terrace can mean a type of landscaping or grading, usually associated with a series of flat, vertically elevating landscaped or paved areas, as in “a terraced hillside.” Another example as an adjective would be of terraced seating, which is a series of level rows of seats, with each ensuing row slightly elevated above the previous, such as in a sports arena or movie theater offering stadium seating. The practice of “terraced” farming is used along mountainsides, where a series of tillable earthen benches are carved from the hillside, serving the dual purpose of utilizing scarce land as well as retaining rainwater and preventing erosion. The usage of terrace in this context however is not contemplated in our Code.