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ARDEN HILLS PLANNING COMMISSION –March 5,20144 <br />to be larger than some available single-family homes. She believed the minimum standards <br />should not be revised at this time. <br />Commissioner Holewa <br />asked if the City had minimum size standards for single-family homes. <br />City Planner Streff <br />stated that single-family homes are required to meet all State building codes <br />regarding minimum size standards and that the City Ordinances do call out minimum standards <br />for single-family homes. <br />Councilmember Jones <br />explainedthathe lived in a 1950’s rambler and that it wasapproximately <br />1,040square feetin size. He did not believe that the multi-family dwelling unit sizes needed to <br />be amended. <br />Commissioner Bartel <br />requested comment from Councilmember Holmes on this matter. <br />Councilmember Holmes <br />stated that the Council believed that the minimum standards for <br />efficiency units needed to be updated. The topic was first brought to the forefront during the <br />City’s review of the E Street Flats developmentproject. A discussion was held by the Council <br />on the multi-family dwelling unit sizestandards and an amendment to the Zoning Codewas <br />proposed.She explained that the Council wanted to have the standards reviewed prior to <br />redevelopment of the TCAAP site. <br />Commissioner Hames <br />stated that housing trends ebb and flow and she did not want to see the <br />City have such high minimum standards established that would require developers to request <br />variances in the future. <br />Vice Chair Thompson <br />agreed with the proposed revisedstandards for efficiency units. <br />However, she did not support changing all of the multi-family design standards.She did not <br />believe that regulating the size of units would ensure a certain quality ofunits.She <br />recommended that the unit size be determined by market demand rather than by the City setting <br />specific minimums. <br />Commissioner Bartel <br />asked if this Ordinance would apply to apartments and condos. <br />Associate Planner Bachler <br />explained that the standardswould apply to condominium and <br />apartment units. <br />Commissioner Holewa <br />supported the 550square foot minimum for efficiency units. <br />Commissioner Hames <br />recommended the denial of the Ordinance and requested thatstaff redraft <br />the language based on thePlanningCommission’s discussion. <br />Commissioner Hamesmoved and Commissioner Holewaseconded a motion to recommend <br />denial of Ordinance Number 14-003 in Planning Case 14-009for an amendment to Section <br />1325.045, Subd. 1 –Multi-family Dwelling Units Additional Conditional Use Permit <br />Criteria of the Zoning Code as the minimums unit standards do not match with the <br />surrounding communities and recommending the efficiency unit size be revisited after staff <br />speak with the City Council regarding the Commission’s discussion. <br />