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Mounds View City Council June 8, 2020 <br />Regular Meeting Page 5 <br /> <br />a variance staff was recommending the driveway entrance on this property have a five foot setback. <br />He commented the property owner was requesting the driveway be installed at zero feet as well as <br />creating a bump between the two properties. <br /> <br />Public Works Director Peterson discussed the reason the bump was installed between the two <br />driveways. <br /> <br />Mayor Mueller questioned if there was an additional cost that gets passed onto the property owner <br />for having an extra wide driveway. Community Development Director Sevald stated the extra cost <br />was not usually passed onto the property owner. <br /> <br />Mayor Mueller stated the last property under consideration was at 5453 Quincy Street. <br /> <br />Community Development Director Sevald explained with this property the driveway has a less <br />than five foot setback and when the City issued a permit for the driveway it was specific for a one <br />foot setback. However, when the driveway was installed the driveway had a two or three foot <br />setback. He indicated the driveway was installed by the previous property owner. He commented <br />the new property owner believed the fence line was the property line which was about five feet <br />from the driveway. However, the fence was not on the property line. He explained staff was <br />proposing to install the driveway with a five foot setback which would shift the driveway by two <br />or three feet. The owners object to this for aesthetic purposes and they would like to have a straight <br />driveway in order to back up their trailer. <br /> <br />Tanya Battista, 5307 Quincy Street, requested a variance in order to maintain the existing two curb <br />cuts. She explained she would like her elderly parents to be able to have easy access to her front <br />door. She noted her parents would like to maintain their independence and she would like the <br />driveway to remain as is. She indicated her mom recently had knee surgery on both knees and was <br />now complaining of hip pain. She reported she was predisposed to the same condition as her <br />mother. She explained the second curb cut allows her mother to have easy access the front door. <br />She stated if she was allowed to keep both curb cuts she would be replacing both driveways. She <br />understood she had more curb and gutter than other neighbors. She indicated her lot was large <br />enough that she could split the lot to have the house on one and the garage on the other, therefore <br />allowing her to have two driveways. She commented her neighbors supported her driveways <br />remaining as is. She did not understand why the driveways were not grandfathered in. She <br />respectfully requested the City allow her to keep the two curb cuts in place. <br /> <br />Council Member Bergeron reminded the Council that in the past the Planning Commission and <br />the Council has made accommodations for elderly parents and disabled individuals when it comes <br />to access to homes. He believed this request fell into this category. <br /> <br />Council Member Meehlhause agreed stating the Council approved a similar request in recent years <br />to allow an elderly parent better access to a home. He questioned if the property owner could <br />subdivide the property and have just a garage on one lot. Community Development Director <br />Sevald explained the lot with the garage would have to have sewer and water hook ups. He noted <br />the property with the garage would be required to have a home built on it within one year of the <br />subdivision.