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City of Arden Hills <br />Planning Commission Meeting for December 4th, 2019 <br />P:\Planning\Planning Cases\2019\19-015 - 3244 Sandeen Road\Memos Reports Page 2 of 6 <br />The Subject Property is a legal non-conforming lot with encumbrances. The Subject Property is <br />50 feet in width and has a lot area of 9,900 square feet. The R-2 district standards require <br />a minimum lot width of 85 feet and 11,000 square feet. In addition, a bluff is located on the <br />Lake Johanna side of the Subject Property. The zoning code definition of a bluff is as follows: <br /> Bluff - A topographic feature such as a hill, cliff, or embankment having the following <br />characteristics (an area with an average slope of less than 18 percent over a distance for 50 feet <br />or more shall not be considered part of the bluff): <br />∙ Part or all of the feature is located in a shoreland area; <br />∙ The slope rises at least 25 feet above the ordinary high water level of the water body; <br />∙ The grade of the slope from the toe of the bluff to a point 25 feet or more above the ordinary <br />high water level averages 30 percent or greater; and <br />∙ The slope must drain toward the waterbody. <br />The Subject Property has a grade of slope of 56% from the toe of the bluff to a point 25 feet or <br />more above the ordinary high. Atop the bluff is the bluff impact zone. A bluff impact zone is <br />established for preservation and management of shoreland vegetation and soils, and all structural <br />development is excluded from this zone, except for stairways, lifts and landings. The bluff impact <br />zone has a required setback of 20 feet from the top of a bluff and shown on the image below. <br />Staff note that permits and building plans are not required as part of a submission for a Land Use <br />Application awaiting approval from the Planning Commission because the nature of the request is <br />regarding the front setback on the property. The Planning Commission is being asked to determine <br />if a variance request for flexibility with the front setback requirement should be approved. The <br />plans that have been submitted show only the buildable area and the evaluation of the proposal <br />should be based on the District Provisions in Section 1320.06 and the Requirements for a Variance <br />in Section 1355.04, Subd. 4.