PL PACKET 06172003 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Petition for Variance Re: 2813 36`h Ave NE Dave and Darnell Stepan May 16, 2003 Question One: Because this is a comer lot the ordinance#1615.05 Subd. 6 requires that my side yard be at least 30' wide from the adjacent street. Currently the house sits 35'2" from the curb. I initially thought that I would have no problem in that I only wanted to come out toward the street an additional two feet and sixteen feet toward the back yard and sixteen feet west again. Then I was told I needed to add 15' onto the 30' making for a total of 45' from the curb. This 15' addition is not stated in any document I was given. It's an undue hardship for my family not to have the accommodations that we need. This need is an addition, which will make for an acceptable living situation. My end result will be converting a current bedroom into a bathroom. Currently we have one full bathroom 32'square for a family of five including four girls. Its an undue hardship for me to have to add a bedroom onto the back or side of the garage as that is the only area which we could put a bedroom and accommodate the ordinance as it is written. I would then have my four, five and eight year old sleeping on the other side of the house instead of directly upstairs. This is a safety and security concern I have. I might not hear them in case of an emergency. Or I might not hear the smoke detector located in the hall outside my children's rooms. Another issue --if we are unable to add on to where we need to, we wouldn't be able to see or hear any potential security issues being located on the other side of the house. Question Two: Because this is a comer lot this ordinance unfairly restricts me to add needed space to my house while it does not limit properties that do not have side streets as boundaries. Lots that fall between the streets may build up to 5' from a neighbor's house as long as the total combined width is 15' while I am limited to 45' from a street. The question I have is it fair to potentially add an addition that faces 5' from the neighbors lot line while I need to have 45' of lawn on the other side of the house? This ordinance was created after this house was built, as this house is 35' from the street curb. This ordinance unfairly restricts my right to add to my property as I see best while it does not restrict property owners whose side lot lines are not adjacent to streets. Question Three: I agree this hardship is caused by the City of St. Anthony ordinance and has not been created by any person presently having interest in our property. One final comment: Had the current ordinance been on file at the time this house was built it couldn't have been built,as it is located now. The house would be eleven feet from the neighbors lot line.