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Among the possible amendments discussed at the February 22, 2011 Joint Planning Commission and City Council work session was a change to the Zoning Code to allow detached garages in the front yards of riparian lots. Since then, both the Planning Commission and the City Council have independently given Staff direction to move forward with drafting possible language that would allow lakeshore lot owners to construct detached garages in their front yards under certain circumstances. Staff conducted research on other communities’ regulations pertaining to front yard accessory structures and found that most communities provide some provision to allow lakeshore lot owners to construct detached structures on the street side of their properties. Staff looked at the Codes of adjacent communities, and Minnetonka, Brooklyn Park, White Bear Lake, and Burnsville. Based on a review of these Codes, Staff drafted regulations that address detached garages on lakeshore lots (Attachment A). Discussion Staff drafted the following language that would allow detached garages in the front yard of lakeshore lots: A.Detached accessory garages may be located in the front yard (between dwelling and street) of a lakeshore property provided all of the following are met: 1.Detached garages shall not be located within the minimum front yard setback. 2.Color and roof material of detached garages shall match or complement the existing primary residential structure, and shall conform to all other requirements for the zoning district. The above language would only allow detached garages at least 40 feet from the front property line to maintain consistency with the current front yard setbacks for principal structures in the R- 1 district. The language also provides for design standards that would require the new structure to match the existing home on the lot. Any detached garage constructed under these regulations would be required to meet all of the other height, size, and side yard setback requirements of the City’s Zoning Code. At their May 4, 2011 regular meeting, the Planning Commission discussed the proposed amendment. A suggestion was made by the Planning Commission that Staff look at potentially including through-lots within the provision allowing front yard detached garages. Through-lots are those properties with two opposite lot lines abutting streets. Upon review of the Code, Staff feels that this provision is already granted to through-lots in Section 1325.03, Subd 1 of the City of Arden Hills Planning Commission Meeting for June 8, 2011 \\Ahdocs1\ah\AHdata\Planning\Planning Cases\2011\11-010 - Garages - Zoning Code Amendment (Pending) Page 2 of 4