02-19-2003 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

City of Mounds View Planning Commission Report Meeting Date: February 19, 2003 Title: CONSIDER RESOLUTION 719-03, A RESOLUTION DENYING A VARIANCE IN THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO A PROPOSED EXPANSION OF A FOUR-UNIT MULTI-FAMILY STRUCTURE TO A SIX-UNIT MULTI-FAMILY STRUCTURE Introduction: The property owner of 2075 Hillview Road has requested a permit to expand her four-plex by constructing two additional units in the basement of the four-unit building. The property is zoned R-3, Medium Density Residential. In terms of density, both a four-plex and a six-unit building would be appropriate for this district. However, there is not enough parking on-site to satisfy the zoning requirements for a six-unit building which has prompted the property owner to request a variance. Discussion: The Planning Commission held a public hearing regarding this request at their last meeting on February 5, 2003. Residents from the area testified that the fourplex should not be expanded and that a variance should not be granted as there would be the potential for parking problems above and beyond what they’re already experiencing. The Planning Commission directed staff to draft a resolution to deny the request based on the consensus that there was no discernable hardship to warrant approval. Chapter 1121 of the Zoning Code requires that multi-family housing developments provide a minimum of 2 ½ parking stalls per unit. The requirements further state that at least one garage space shall be provided for each dwelling unit, which would be included in the 2½ stall total requirement. Currently there are twelve stalls on the site, of which only two are used as garage stalls. (A third garage stall is being used as the garbage dumpster enclosure.) To expand the number of dwelling units in the building, there would need to be a total of 15 stalls, six of which garage spaces. The variance requested is to maintain the present parking capacity at 12 with only the two garages. Variance Considerations: For a variance to be approved, there needs to be demonstrated hardship or practical difficulties associated with the property that makes a literal interpretation of the Code overly burdensome or restrictive to a property owner. State statutes require that the governing body (the Planning Commission) review a set of specified criteria for each application and make its decision in accordance with these criteria. These criteria are set forth in Section 1125.02, Subdivision 2, of the City Code. The Code clearly states that a hardship exists when all of the criteria are met. The criteria are as follows: Item # 5