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City of Arden Hills Planning Commission Meeting for March 7, 2018 P:\Planning\Planning Cases\2018\PC 18-003 - Bethel University - CUP Amendment - Sciences Addition\Memos_Reports_18-003 Page 7 of 11 1. Purpose and Intent. The Variance request shall comply with the purpose and intent of the provisions of City's Zoning Regulations and with the policies of the City's Comprehensive Plan. The proposed variance is consistent with the purpose and intent of the Zoning Code and with the policies of the Comprehensive Plan. The purpose of the Shoreland Regulations within the Zoning Code is to regulate the subdivision, use, and development of the shorelands of public waters and to preserve and enhance the quality of surface waters, preserve the economic and natural environmental values of shorelands, and provide for the wise utilization of waters and related resources. 2. Practical Difficulties. The applicant for a Variance shall establish that there are practical difficulties in complying with the provisions of the Arden Hills Zoning Regulations. The following criteria apply to this application: a) Reasonable Use. The property owner proposes to use the property in a reasonable manner not permitted by the Zoning Ordinance. A building addition for academic programming is a reasonable use because a college campus is a permitted use in the Institutional District. Criterion met. b) Unique Circumstances. The plight of property owner is due to circumstances unique to the property not created by the landowner. The property is unique because of its size and configuration, which allows for multiple large buildings that are not easily visible from adjacent property. The Bethel University property is also unique because the campus extends around the entire shoreline of Valentine Lake and there are no other property owners with frontage on Valentine Lake that would be impacted by the proposed addition. Criterion met. c) Character of Neighborhood. The variance, if granted, will not alter the essential character of the neighborhood. The variance will not alter the essential character of the neighborhood because it is not anticipated to be easily visible from adjacent property. Criterion met. d) Economic Consideration. Economic consideration alone does not constitute a practical difficulty. Economic consideration alone is not a practical difficulty in this case. Criterion met. e) Access to Sunlight. Inadequate access to direct sunlight for solar energy systems shall be considered a practical difficulty. The proposed addition would have adequate access to sunlight. Not Applicable. Additional Review City Building Official