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ARDEN HILLS PLANNING COMMISSION – November 5, 2014 12 Associate Planner Bachler stated that the applicant in this case is Twang Holdings, LLC, which is a real estate company whose sole responsibility is to acquire properties to be rented by Northern Battery. Both businesses are owned by the same family. Twang Holdings is considering purchasing the property at 3755 Dunlap Street North, but in order for the site to be operationally viable for Northern Battery a loading dock addition is required. While the building does have several existing garage doors, none are constructed as a loading dock. The current property owner is MBJ Holdings, LLC, which has been informed of the variance request. Associate Planner Bachler reported that the subject property is zoned B-4 Retail Center District and is generally located north of Grey Fox Road, west of Dunlap Street North, east of Snelling Avenue/Highway 51, and south of Red Fox Road. The B-4 Retail Center District was adopted by the City in 1991. The new zoning regulations were meant to facilitate the redevelopment of the properties along Dunlap Street North between Grey Fox Road and Red Fox Road into a retail destination center. Since the zoning requirements were drafted with more retail uses in mind, many of the pre-existing light industrial properties in this district are now nonconforming. Associate Planner Bachler indicated that the applicant is proposing to construct a 500 square foot addition measuring 25 feet wide by 20 feet in depth on the west side of the existing principal structure on the property. The addition would be used for loading dock purposes and would accommodate one truck bay. An existing utility shed measuring 428 square feet in size is located in the area where the addition would be constructed. This accessory structure would be removed prior to the commencement of construction of the addition. Associate Planner Bachler explained that the property is considered nonconforming due to lot coverage and an encroachment into the north side yard setback. Currently, the structure coverage on the lot is 28.87 percent, which exceeds the maximum of 25 percent allowed in this district. The addition would increase structure coverage to 29.05 percent. The existing landscape coverage of 20.01 percent does not meet the minimum coverage requirement of 25 percent. However, the landscape lot coverage would actually increase as a result of the project as a portion of the addition would be constructed on bituminous surface and the existing accessory shed would be removed. Associate Planner Bachler commented that the existing principal structure encroaches 16 feet into the required north side yard setback of 20 feet. The proposed addition area would also encroach on this setback area, although not to the same extent as the existing building. The new addition would be located 5 feet from the north side property line and encroach 15 feet into the required setback. All other setback requirements would be met by the addition. Site Data Land Use Plan: Mixed Business Existing Land Use: Light Industrial Zoning: B-4: Retail Center District Current Lot Sizes: .93 Acres (40,554 square feet) Topography: Relatively Flat Associate Planner Bachler reviewed the surrounding area, the Plan Evaluation and the Variance Evaluation Criteria.