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ARDEN HILLS PLANNING COMMISSION – May 3, 2017 3 <br /> <br />Current Lot Sizes: 3.12 Acres <br /> <br />Senior Planner Bachler reviewed the surrounding area, the Plan Evaluation and the Variance <br />Evaluation Criteria. <br /> <br />Senior Planner Bachler provided the Findings of Fact for review: <br /> <br />General Findings: <br />1. The proposed Ernie Nelson Estates subdivision is comprised of a total of 3.12 acres. <br />2. The proposed Ernie Nelson Estates subdivision property is located at 3246 New Brighton <br />Road and is currently zoned R-2 – Single & Two Family Residential. <br />3. The Ernie Nelson Estates subdivision is proposed as R-2 – Single & Two Family <br />Residential. <br />4. The R-2 – Single & Two Family Residential District permits up to five (5) units per acre. <br />5. The proposed Ernie Nelson Estates development is proposed at 2.6 units per net acre. <br />6. The Ernie Nelson Estates subdivision property currently has the land use designation of <br />Public & Institutional in the City’s 2030 Comprehensive Plan. <br />7. The applicant is proposing to re-plat the property into four (4) single-family lots. <br />8. The applicant is proposing to construct four (4) single-family homes. <br />9. No new streets will be constructed as a result of this development. <br />10. The proposed development requires park dedication. <br />11. The park dedication requirement for this application is six percent of the buildable land <br />area in the subdivision or a park dedication fee of $6,500 per lot. Six percent of the <br />development would be 0.187 acres which would not allow for a feasible park area. The <br />park dedication fee of $6,500 per lot will be applied in this case. <br />12. As currently designed the proposed plan is not in conformance with the City’s 2030 <br />Comprehensive Plan in regards to the land use classification. The property at 3246 New <br />Brighton Road is guided for Public & Institutional uses. <br />13. The development plan would require that the property be designated in the <br />Comprehensive Plan as Very Low Density Residential. <br /> <br />Variance Findings: <br />14. The applicant has requested a variance from the R-2 lot width standard of 85 feet to a <br />reduced standard of 81.75 feet. <br />15. A Comprehensive Plan Amendment is required to re-guide the property for Very Low <br />Density Residential use from its current classification as Public and Institutional. <br />16. A single-family home with allowed accessory structures can be constructed on an 81.75- <br />foot-wide lot and would be a reasonable use of the property. <br />17. The property has been used as a fire station for decades and it is assumed that forethought <br />into the eventual redevelopment into residential lots did not occur. <br />18. There are a number of lots within this block that have lot widths less than the required 85 <br />feet, but the majority of the lots on this block are 85 feet wide or greater. <br />19. The practical difficulty could be the difficulty of converting a property designed as a fire <br />station into a residential subdivision. <br />20. The proposed lots face southwest and have adequate access to sunlight. <br /> <br />Senior Planner Bachler stated for the benefit of the Planning Commission and the applicant, <br />staff has prepared the following recommended conditions. Since this project is being requested to