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r <br /> -2- <br /> retention by the County to also be a- benefit for the City . Mr. Bower <br /> man indicated-.he did not see - concern about how the properties to the <br /> north will be developed is germane to this request , since there is no <br /> •` firm evidence the County holds a similar easement on those sites and <br /> he pointed out that, unless the County widens the bridge over the <br /> railroad tracks near 37th Avenue N.E. , the easement they hold on this <br /> property will be of no real value to them. <br /> Mr. Bjorklund indicated, because he wants to protect the other property <br /> owners on Silver Lake Road-, he cannot vote to grant the variance until <br /> the City has written assurances from the County that they have no <br /> plans to widen Silver Lake Road. The Chairman questioned whether it <br /> is consistent for the County to construct sidewalks along 37th Avenue <br /> a few blocks from this site and not along Silver Lake Road. Mr. Berg <br /> told him the City is joining with the County , in the costs with CDBG <br /> funding and . the balance will be assessed to the private property <br /> owners . The owners of the properties north of this site will have to <br /> fit their proposals for construction to the land they own , he told <br /> Mr. Sopcinski. <br /> Mr. Jones arrived at 7 :55 P.M. <br /> Mr. Johnson was the only person present to speak for or against the <br /> variance request. He apologized for not being present at the first <br /> hearing. He stated he didn ' t see the existence of the easement as <br /> affecting the construction plans he had proposed. According to his <br /> measurements , the building closest to Silver Lake Road will be sixty- <br /> one feet from the roadbed and-believes the City is in error when it <br /> figures there are only two feet in addition to the 10 foot easement <br /> between his property lines and the road, insisting instead that there <br /> are twenty feet between .the site stakes and the road, which he sees <br /> as sufficient for both a sidewalk and snow storage . He cited the <br /> letter from Ramsey County which the City has on file which indicates <br /> the County only needs 120 feet for Silver Lake Road , and said he and <br /> Mr. Hedlund have both had verbal assurances from County officials <br /> that they will never use the easement for roadway . He said the failure <br /> to grant the variance will result in a large economic hardship for <br /> him because he will have to recalculate his site plans to accommodate <br /> an average of 238 square foot deficiency per unit which will involve <br /> the rehiring of an architect and landscaper planner as well as the <br /> difficult renegotiations with the watershed district. He pointed <br /> out the variances he had been granted for the Chandler .townhome <br /> project he built in the same area where two easements were involved . <br /> and said the only difference is that this was memorialized into <br /> the deed. <br /> The hearing was closed* at 8 : 30 P .M. <br /> When Mr. Sopcinski expressed his concern that the three conditions <br /> set by City ordinance for granting such variances had not been <br /> adequately addressed , he was told hardship could possibly be established <br /> in the fact that .a building permit had been granted . based on the <br /> relationship of the buildings to the existing density and a topo- <br /> graphical difficulty for Mr. Johnson -may be created if the variance <br /> is not granted. Mr: Jones saw a benefit to the City if the townhouse <br /> . . association maintains the boulevard as other homeowners do and noted <br />