PL MINUTES 06191979 - Laserfiche WebLink

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-4- • At 8 : 21 p.m. the Chairman Pro Tem opened the public hearing to consider a petition for a variance to permit construction of a duplex on a vacant lot at approximately 2500 37th Avenue N.E. Mr. Berg confirmed that all notification requirements had been met for such a hearing and no property owner reported failure to receive same. The $25 application fee had been paid. In his June 13 memorandum to the Board, Mr. Berg had advised them that before the duplex could be built on that corner lot, it would be necessary for the City to grant a lot area variance of 8 , 352 square feet; a front yard setback variance of 15 . 6 feet, and a rear yard setback variance of 20 feet, had indicated on a plat of the site how the proposed building will be out of alignment with other buildings along the block and informed them that the City staff felt the lot is substandard and unsuitable for building. The applicant, Andrew P. Kociscak, 5131 3rd Street N.E. , was not in attendance and the Chairman wondered if it would be fair to hold the hearing without him, but Mr. Bowerman felt the petition and the written statement he had given constituted Mr . Kociscak ' s position and the hearing should proceed on them. Spokesman for the opponents of the proposal was Kenneth J. Hoxmeier, 3657 Roosevelt Street N.E. , who said the reason the lot has been vacant for 15 years is that it is too small , and objected to placing a duplex on a lot that 's too small for a single residence. The • building will be 13 feet by 80 feet, with a 26 foot wide building and a garage 20 more feet wide. He said the duplex will not fit into the neighborhood, it will destroy the neighbor' s view of the landscape, and its height will cut down on the sunlight for the neighboring structures . He felt the structure would affect the re-sale value of his property, as well as that of his neighbors and. he cited the water problems in the area which drains into that lot; and said if the grade were changed, all the water would end up in his yard. He told how the snow is all piled on that lot and felt the salt would ruin any-shrubbery in the front yard because it would be planted so close to the street, and this distance could be cut down even further if 37th is ever upgraded. He also saw traffic vision being blocked by this high structure and said all his neighbors shared his opposition to the proposal . When Mr. Bjorklund asked if he had ever considered buying the land himself since it had recently gone for tax forfeiture, he said he had in- quired when he built his home about it, but had been told the City owned it and it was too small to build on. He later mentioned that power lines are joined at that corner and might prove hazardous to the building, and said he believed there must be a utility ease- ment on the property because he had recently gotten a notice that the power line is four feet within his property line . The hearing was closed at 8: 44 p.m. •