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-2- <br /> Planning Commission' s recommendation fo: such action seemed to be <br /> missing. He presented a print of the of -ginal site plans which had <br /> been drawn up June 7, 1963, which he indicated was fifteen months <br /> before the home at 3501 - 36_th Street N.E. and 18 months prior to the <br /> construction of the Esau home at 3505 - 36th Avenue N.E. to the south <br /> of the church property. <br /> Commissioner Jones indicated he had visited the site and disagreed <br /> that the structure would only be the height of a two story house, <br /> saying Mr. Esau would actually be facing a building which is 34 feet <br /> higher than his property because of the higher elevation of the church <br /> site. The church trustee agreed .there was a variation in the height <br /> of the bank at the south end of the lot and later indicated that though <br /> the total elevation of the church addition would be 24 . 8 feet, with <br /> the existing grade, the building would actually be an additional six <br /> feet higher for the Antczak property and between seven or eight feet <br /> higher than the Esau home . <br /> Commissioner Bowerman questioned the implication that the 1964 Council <br /> had given complete approval to all the plans presented to them at <br /> that time , believing they would not have approved any future plans <br /> without having detailed site plans for those improvements . He also <br /> asked whether the architect had taken core testings on which he had <br /> based his advice that the existing footings might not be adequate to <br /> support a second floor to which Mr . Jones responded that no such <br /> testings had been taken to date but that alternate would still not be • <br /> acceptable to the building committee because with it the larger <br /> kitchen, narthex and restrooms the congregation needs would not be <br /> provided. <br /> Reverend Joseph Ol Valtinson, Jr. , 5215 Pierce Street N.E. , pastor of <br /> the Elmwood church, indicated he perceives his church provides a <br /> service to the community having a food shelf which provides for those <br /> who need help in the area and a licensed psychologist who ministers <br /> to City residents as well as parishioners of the church . Because no <br /> agreement was reached at the August 4th meeting, Pastor Valtinson <br /> said he was appealing to the Planning Commission to settle the dif- <br /> ferences fairly. He mentioned that in his own case, his view of the <br /> whole City of Minneapolis was obstructed when his neighbor built his <br /> home and another neighbor had sued that neighbor for the same reason. <br /> He also cited what he perceives would be a similar incident in Edina, <br /> where a fast growing church enlarged its parking lot over the objections <br /> of the neighbors and provided enough plantings to provide a buffer <br /> which made the expansion less objectionable . The minister indicated <br /> he didn' t believe the size of the addition would be much wider than a <br /> normal home with an attached garage. <br /> Commissioner Bjorklund indicated his experience with estimating church <br /> property had caused him to expect the cost of the proposed addition <br /> would-be closer to $300, 000 than the $150 ,000 reported by Mr. Jones <br /> in his statement since at $150,000 the church would only be paying <br /> $20 . 23 per square foot, .-a completely unrealistic figure with today 's • <br /> construction -costs. Reverend Valtinson indicated the cost estimate <br /> had come from a contractor -who was willing to let church members do <br /> the finishing work. The minister assured the Commissioner that the <br />