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ARDEN HILLS PLANNING COMMISSION – January 7, 2015 2 APPOINTMENTS A. Planning Commission Chair Appointment City Planner Streff stated that Clayton Larson resigned from the Planning Commission effective December 31, 2014. His resignation not only created a vacancy on the Commission but also created a vacant Chair position. Per the Planning Commission Liaison, Councilmember Holmes, long-standing Commissioner and Vice-Chair Roberta Thompson has respectfully volunteered to fill the role of the Planning Commission Chair. City Planner Streff reported that during the Regular City Council meeting on December 15, 2014, the Council unanimously approved the recommendation of the Planning Commission liaison to appoint Ms. Thompson as the Chair of the Planning Commission. Ms. Thompson term expires December 31, 2016. PLANNING CASES A. Planning Case 14-034; Preliminary Plat, Master and Final PUD, Rezoning and Comp Plan Amendment – 1941 & 1901 County Road E2 – Public Hearing This item was removed from the agenda. B. Planning Case 14-032; Minor Subdivision, Lot Consolidation, and Variance – 4605 Prior Avenue and 4703 U.S. Highway 10 – Public Hearing Associate Planner Bachler stated that Arden Manor-550 Associates has applied for a minor subdivision to sell a 2,673 square foot portion of the Arden Manor manufactured home park property to the Big Ten Supper Club at 4703 U.S. Highway 10. Currently, a portion of the Big Ten parking lot along the southeast property line encroaches on an area approximately 22 feet wide and 121 feet long on the Arden Manor property. Staff has reviewed historic aerial images of the area and has determined that the parking lot was expanded creating this encroachment sometime between the years of 1991 and 2003. The purpose of the subdivision and lot consolidation is to address this encroachment through the sale of that portion of land where the encroachment has occurred. The parties have signed a purchase agreement that will be carried out if the proposal is approved by the City Council. Associate Planner Bachler indicated that a variance is needed because the lot consolidation will result in the continuance of a nonconforming parking area setback and a reduction in the nonconforming landscape coverage at 4703 U.S. Highway 10. The existing off-street parking area on the lot encroaches into the required five-foot setback along the northwest, southwest, and southeast property lines. With the expansion of the lot boundaries, the parking lot would continue to encroach along the southeast lot line. Since the parcel to be subdivided is almost entirely covered by bituminous surface, landscape coverage on the Big Ten property would decrease as a result of the lot consolidation from 14.1 percent to 13.9 percent. The minimum landscape lot coverage for the properties in the Neighborhood Business District is 35 percent. Associate Planner Bachler reported that the Arden Manor manufactured home park operates under a series of Conditional Use Permits first approved by the City in 1971. While 4605 Prior