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<br /> <br />The applicant’s survey shows lot dimensions of 107 feet in width and 220 feet in depth – a <br />total of 23,540 square feet. However, the 107 foot width includes 25 feet of Chelmsford <br />Road street easement, and the 220 foot dimension includes 40 feet of 37th Avenue NE right <br />of way. The dimensions noted on the survey include road area that is not counted toward <br />lot area for building and zoning purposes. As a result, the lot area for subdivision purposes <br />is significantly below the threshold needed to create two conforming parcels. <br /> <br />A. Subdivision and Lot Size Variances <br /> <br />The applicants own a parcel that is 82 feet wide along 37th Ave. NE, and 180 feet <br />deep along Chelmsford Road, excluding right of way and street easements of record. <br />This is a total of 14,760 square feet. A single family home is located on the south <br />portion of the parcel, approximately 18 feet from the Chelmsford Road street <br />easement boundary. The typical setback requirement is 30 feet from the right of <br />way. <br /> <br />The applicants propose to subdivide the property to create a smaller lot containing <br />the existing home, and a new building lot at the corner of Chelmsford and 37th. The <br />south parcel (Parcel “B”) would be 75 feet in width along Chelmsford, and at 82 feet <br />deep, just 6,150 square feet in area. The applicant’s survey shows a lot depth of 107 <br />feet, but that includes 25 feet of dedicated street easement, which is not included in <br />actual lot area. <br /> <br />The requirements for new single family lots in the R-1 zoning district is 75 feet of <br />width, and a minimum lot area of 9,000 square feet – the proposal is more than <br />30% (2,850 square feet) short of the requirement. <br /> <br />The proposed north corner parcel (Parcel “A”) is shown at 105 feet deep by 82 feet <br />wide – a lot area of 8,610 square feet. For corner lots in the R-1 District, the <br />requirements are 90 feet in width and 11,000 square feet in area. This lot then, is a <br />total of 2,390 square feet short of the requirement, a differential of more than 20%. <br /> <br />As such, the subdivision results in the need for lot area variances for both parcels. <br />When evaluating variances, the City’s zoning ordinance applies the requirement that <br />can be summarized as whether there is a unique condition on the property that <br />creates a practical difficulty in putting the property to what would otherwise be a <br />reasonable use. The language of the code is cited in Section 3. of this report below. <br /> <br />In considering the scope of reasonable use, neighborhood character is often <br />identified as a factor in understanding what might be “reasonable”, short of the <br />minimum standard. The R-1 blocks to the west of this site have lots that average <br />17