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9.b4b Walker Variance CC Staff Report Memorandum To: Scandia Planning Commission Reference: Walker Variance Application Copies To: Brenda Eklund, Clerk Ken Cammilleri, City Administrator Brenda Walker, applicant Project No.: 17722.000 Walker Variance From: Evan Monson, Planner Routing: Date: October 13, 2020 SUBJECT: Walker Variances for Side Setbacks MEETING DATE: October 20, 2020 LOCATION: 18643 Lamar Avenue North, PID 31.032.20.14.0101 APPLICANT: Brenda Walker OWNERS: Brenda and Alan Walker ZONING: General Rural (GR), Shoreland Overlay 60-DAY PERIOD: October 25, 2020 (120-day December 24, 2020) ITEMS REVIEWED: Application and plans received August 26, 2020 DESCRIPTION OF THE REQUEST: The applicant has recently acquired this property, and is looking to place a new house on it. The parcel currently has a detached garage and part of a house on it, while the rest of the house occupies the parcel to the north. The applicant would like to keep the existing garage, while placing a new 1,053 square foot house on the parcel and removing the existing house. The parcel to the north was purchased by the applicant’s brother, who is looking to build his own house on that parcel once the existing house is removed. The Walker’s parcel is substandard, as it does not meet the minimum width, size, or buildable area requirements for the General Rural (GR) zoning district. The parcel is 8,494 square feet in size, and has a frontage of 50 feet on Lamar Avenue. The proposed house the applicants would like to build is just over Walker Variance Staff Report October 20, 2020 Scandia City Council Page 2 30 feet wide, and needs a variance in order to fit within the lot. The minimum side setbacks are 20 feet, meaning that a structure would need to be less than 10 feet wide if it were to meet the minimum setback requirements. The variance request by the applicant is for 13 feet from both the north and south side property lines, which equates to a minimum setback of 7 feet. PROPERTY INFORMATION Parcel description: 18643 Lamar Avenue North is a narrow parcel located north of the intersection of Lamar Avenue and 185th Street North. It has an old existing house that straddles it and the parcel to the north. This parcel also has a 625 square foot detached garage located on it. The parcel has some flat areas on the west side, while the east side slopes down towards Langly Avenue to the east. The lot area is 8,494 SF, per county records. The lot is slightly angled, with a depth of 196.8 feet on the north side and a depth of 201 feet on the south side. The width of the parcel is less than 45 feet. Zoning: General Rural, Shoreland Overlay Land use: Single-family Residential EVALUATION OF VARIANCE REQUEST Applicant’s Explanation of the Plan and Variance Request “Siblings Michael Werb (Lot F) and Brenda and Alan Walker (Lot G), request a side setback variance to build houses. The lots are 50 feet wide in front and 52 feet wide in back and between 192 and 201 feet deep on each side. We request variances for side setbacks from 20 feet to 7 feet in order to build two separate 30 foot wide by 35 feet long houses on the separate lots. The hardship includes: A. Both property owners propose to use the property in a reasonable manner. Each of the landowners plan a 30 foot wide house that would be possible with a side setback variance of 13 feet on each side of each lot allowing for 7 feet setbacks. B. The houses the owners plan to build are similar to other houses in the area and do not encroach on existing houses. C. The fact that the lots are not conductive to meeting exact code requirements of 20 foot side setbacks on the 50 foot lots that leaves only a 10 foot width for building a house. The lots would not be worth having without this variance. D. The best and least intrusive request is for side setback variances. Otherwise a reasonable use for the property does not exist under the terms of the zoning ordinance and codes. E. The slope of the lots limit where a house can be placed; owners need a safe place to build which the variance will allow. F. The plight of the landowners is due to circumstances unique to the property, not created by the landowners. These circumstances existed before the owners purchased the lots. Walker Variance Staff Report October 20, 2020 Scandia City Council Page 3 G. The variance, if granted, will not alter the essential character of the locality, including the rural community, and will not impede the agricultural goals and natural resources in the area.” Staff Comments on the Variance Request The City Engineer provided the following comments during the original review of the variance: • Survey and Grading Plan would be required for submittal and review. Relatively flat in this area between existing home and roadway where additional ditching may be required upon a survey and additional driveways are constructed. • Each parcel would have to have their own separate well permitted and approved through the MDH if two separate homes area constructed. • If proposed building requests future sewer service with connection to the Bliss system it will required the septic system is compliance with the current City Ordinance and comply with Washington County permit requirements and applicant should be aware of the required work that will be necessary. These requirements should be closely review with Public Works to prevent any surprises on what may be required on a future building permit. • Driveway permits will be required. • Loss of tree canopy should be discussed and taken into account. More canopy retained/replaced will only help drainage runoff down the bluff. • Project shall be in compliance with the Watershed District which will include additional requirements. The Watershed District: The applicant has been working with the Watershed to acquire necessary permits. The Watershed noted a need for a grading and drainage plan, an erosion and sediment control plan, and a maintenance declaration for storm water facilities in order to issue a permit. The Department of Natural Resources: • The East Metro Area Hydrologist had not commented at the time of this staff report. Criteria for Variance and Findings Chapter 1, Section 6.0 of the Development Code includes the criteria and required process for considering variance requests. Each item to be considered for a variance is identified below in italics, followed by the Planner’s findings regarding the requested variances. • Variances shall only be permitted when they are in harmony with the Comprehensive Plan and general purposes and intent of the official control. The 2040 Comprehensive Plan identified that there is a need for new housing in the future, as the city’s population is expected to slowly increase. Utilizing two already existing lots would help provide additional housing in the city without requiring a new subdivision. The parcel is zoned General Rural while also being within the Shoreland Overlay; both of these permit single-family residential use. The proposed plans are in general harmony with the Comprehensive Plan and Development Code. Walker Variance Staff Report October 20, 2020 Scandia City Council Page 4 • The property owner proposes to use the property in a reasonable manner under the conditions allowed by official control(s). This property is in the General Rural zoning district, which is guided for single-family residential use. Proposing to use the property for residential use is a reasonable use in the General Rural District. • The practical difficulties are not caused by the landowner and are unique to the property. The practical difficulties that limit the use of the property are a result of the lot being substandard and not conforming to the minimum requirements of the development code. The lot does not meet the minimum lot size of 2 acres, buildable area of 1 acre, or the minimum frontage of 160 feet for the GR zoning district. If a lot is only 50 feet wide, a house could only be 10 feet wide in order to meet the minimum side setback requirement. The buildable area for the parcel, using minimum required setbacks, gives the property owner a narrow space to work with; it is not common to require houses fit within such a space and expect them to meet modern building code requirements. The practical difficulties are not caused by the current landowner and are unique to the property. • The variance would not alter the essential character of the area. The proposed plans would utilize the property for a single family residence, which is a similar use as other adjacent lots. The proposed variance request would permit for a house to be built in a size that is similar to other residences, and would not allow for a structure to be built that is out of line with the character of other homes in this area of the city. Granting the variance would not alter the essential character of the area. • Economic conditions alone shall not constitute practical difficulties. The practical difficulties are related to the lot not providing the minimum amount of space as is required in the code. The practical difficulties are not only economic in nature. • The proposed variance will not impair an adequate supply of light and air to adjacent property, or substantially increase the congestion of the public streets, or increase the danger of fire, or endanger the public safety, or substantially diminish or impair property values within the neighborhood. Granting the requested variances would not result in the new house and detached garage limiting light or air to neighboring properties. The land use will be single-family residential, so increases to congestion, fire danger, or public safety are not expected. The property values of neighboring values would not be negatively impacted, either. The requested variances will not impair the supply of light or air to adjacent properties, increase congestion, endanger the public, or substantially diminish or impair property values in the neighborhood. • The requested variance is the minimum action required to eliminate the practical difficulty. Walker Variance Staff Report October 20, 2020 Scandia City Council Page 5 The proposed residential structure is modest in size at just over 1,000 square feet. The placement of the house is centered in the lot, so as to minimize the encroachment into the north and south side setbacks. Since building codes can limit how small a house can potentially be built, it is unlikely that a much smaller variance could be granted in order to permit construction of a new residence on the lot. This is the minimum action required to eliminate the practical difficulty. • Practical difficulties include, but are not limited to, inadequate access to direct sunlight for solar energy systems. The variance is not related to a need for direct sunlight for solar energy systems. The findings support granting the variance. ACTION REQUESTED: The Scandia City Council can do one of the following: 1. Approve 2. Approve with conditions 3. Deny with findings 4. Table the request PLANNING STAFF RECOMMENDATION: The Planner recommends that the City Council grant variances to the north and south side setbacks in order to allow construction of a residential structure with side setbacks of eight feet at 18643 Lamar Avenue North. The following conditions for the variances are recommended: 1. The north and south side setbacks of the proposed residential structure is permitted to be 7 feet, as per the plans reviewed for this request. 2. The applicant shall secure applicable permits from the Carnelian Marine St. Croix Watershed District, and comply with their requirements. 3. A survey, grading plan, and erosion control plan shall be submitted to the city for review, showing any areas of soil disruption, including building floor elevations and the grading limits/elevations/slopes of any new driveways, in order to ensure that drainage is not directed to adjacent properties. 4. The applicant shall provide documented approvals for a well and septic system on the site. 5. The applicant shall secure any other applicable Federal, State, County and local permits required for the project. 6. The applicant shall pay all fees and escrows associated with this application.