10-04-2006 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Accessory Building Report October 4, 2006 Page 3 Since the year 2000, the City has approved fourteen conditional use permits (CUPs) for over sized accessory buildings. (Refer to the table below.) All fourteen garages exceeded 1,000 square feet, the average area being 1,123 square feet. Only two of the approved garages were in excess of 1,400 square feet. During the same time period, only two over-sized garage requests were denied, that for a proposed 48-foot wide garage at 2208 Lois Drive and a 1,620 square foot garage at 8135 Long Lake Road. As a result of the denied CUP and Variance, the property owner of 2208 Lois Drive chose instead to construct a large detached accessory building in his rear yard consistent with Code allowances. Address Garage area requested (in square feet) Approval Date 2832 Woodale Dr 1,248 May 2000 (reapproved in May 2006 2251 Oakwood 1,150 May 2000 8368 Groveland Rd 1,218 August 2001 7988 Edgewood Dr 1,344 May 2003 5220 Edgewood Dr 1,148 June 2003 7850 Spring Lake Rd 1,110 October 2003 2208 Lois Dr 1,152 June 2004 (denied) 7806 Gloria Circle 1,125 July 2004 5343 Clifton 1,032 March 2005 7965 Fairchild 1,440 April 2005 7069 Pleasant View 1,082 September 2005 8495 Sunnyside 1,062 April 2006 8382 Knollwood 1,604 May 2006 5308 St. Stephen 1,104 May 2006 8135 Long Lake Road 1,620 July 2006 (denied) 2932 Woodale Drive 1,176 August 2006 There have been many other inquiries for oversize garages this year, and a couple of the new homes built in the last year have had the plans submitted with garages larger than 952 square feet. All of these residents decreased the garage size because they did not want to go through the lengthy CUP process and/or pay the application fee. As we have seen lately, residents often have more than two cars and one or more recreational vehicles (e.g., boats, ATVs, motorcycles, RVs) and they desire workshop space in addition. Residents are more conscious about keeping their neighborhoods looking nice and want to be able to store their additional vehicles inside rather than outdoors in the elements and in full view of passersby. During the same seven-year period beginning in 2000, the City issued 160 building and zoning permits for the construction of garages and sheds less than or equal to 952 square feet. (A zoning permit rather than a building permit is required for accessory buildings smaller than 120 square feet.) Clearly the vast majority of accessory building permits issued are for those 952 square feet and less.