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Planning Commission Meeting Minutes August 21, 2001 Page 2 t 2001. 2 Chair Melsha asked Commissioner Hanson if was available to attend the City Council regular 3 meeting of August 28, 2001. Commissioner Hanson stated he was available and would attend 4 the meeting on behalf of the Planning Commission. 5 VIII. PUBLIC HEARINGS. 6 8.1 Request for Side Yard Variance: Maynard and Elizabeth Shaw, 2835 Roosevelt St SE. 7 Susan Henry informed the Commission that the Shaw's are requesting a side yard variance of 8 eleven feet in order to build a detached two-car garage measuring 22'x24' to the east of their 9 existing garage. She added that,according to City ordinance,"any side yard adjacent to a street 10 must be at least thirty feet in width." Ms.Henry continued that the proposed plans submitted to 11 the City by the Shaw's show a nineteen feet side yard setback,which is eleven feet short of the 12 ordinance requirement, and just four feet off of the property line. 13 Mr.and Mrs.Shaw came forward to address the Commission and stated that they have lived in 14 their house for twelve years. He indicated that much of their reasoning for making this request had 15 to do with the need for additional space for their cars and home maintenance equipment. Mr.Shaw indicated that he was not aware of the fact that they needed to build thirty feet off of the street,versus the fifteen that they had anticipated,until a building inspector came out to their home. 18 Mr. Shaw added that even the City Inspector was unfamiliar with that ordinance requirement. 19 Chair Melsha informed the Shaw's that there is certain criteria which needs to be considered 20 whenever someone is requesting a variance. 21 Commissioner Hanson indicated that Commissioner Thomas had taken a few photos of their home 22 for the Commissioner to view while discussing their request. Commissioner Hanson asked the 23 Shaw's if they had considered just adding on to their house. Mr.Shaw explained that the roof-line 24 on their house is on two levels,and that they would need to remove the entire roof,which would 25 be considerably more expensive than what they were proposing. 26 Commissioner Thomas asked about the roof to clarify what removing it would entail. He continued 27 that one problem that he had with their request was that they did not meet all of the criteria,adding 28 that the problem seemed to have more to do with the number of cars that they own. Mrs.Shaw 29 stated that they own a full-size car that barely fits into the garage, with only inches on each side. 30 Mr.Shaw echoed Mrs.Shaw's issues with the lack of room in the existing garage for even one car. 31Commissioner Thomas referred to the criteria that they consider when examining a variance request awhich states that"no variance shall be granted unless the evidence presented by the petitioner 33 discloses all of the following facts"which continues,"the property cannot be put to a reasonable 34 use without the variance." He added that he was having difficulty with this in relation to the Shaw's 35 request.