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City of Arden Hills Planning Commission Meeting for October 9, 2019 P:\Planning\Planning Cases\2019\19-013 1932 County Road E2 Var\Memos Reports Page 4 of 7 1.Purpose and Intent. The variance request shall comply with the purpose and intent of the provisions of the City’s Zoning Regulations and with the policies of the City’s Comprehensive Plan. The variance request would comply with the purpose and intent of the R-2 Zoning District and with the policies within the City’s Comprehensive Plan. 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 term “Practical Difficulties” as used in the granting of a variance means: a.Reasonable Use. The property owner proposes to use the property in a reasonable manner not permitted by the Zoning Ordinance. The proposed addition is a reasonable use of the property. b.Unique Circumstances. The plight of the property owner is due to circumstances unique to the property not created by the landowner. The Subject Property is located on a corner lot at the intersection of County Road E W and New Brighton Road. Corner lots with yards facing a public street are considered to be a front yard and any structures shall be setback of 40 feet from the property line. On non- corner lots the rear and side yard setback for accessory structures is 10 feet. However, many other properties zoned R-2 encroach upon the 40-foot setback. The Applicant is requesting to encroach 13 feet, where other properties encroach 30 or more feet into the front yard setback. c.Character of Neighborhood. The variance, if granted, will not alter the essential character of the neighborhood. The proposed addition will not alter the character of the neighborhood and is consistent with the other dwellings in the neighborhood. The Applicants indicated to staff that their neighbors on surrounding properties have voiced their support and do not believe that granting a variance would negatively impact them. In addition, the Applicant work with the neighbor to the south on locating their propose structure so it would be screen by the existing garage on the adjacent property. 3.Economic Consideration. Economic consideration alone does not constitute a practical difficulty. The proposed variance is not based on economic consideration. 4.Access to Sunlight. Inadequate access to direct sunlight for solar energy systems shall be considered a practical difficulty.