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ARDEN HILLS PLANNING COMMISSION – May 5, 2021 12 <br /> <br /> <br />Chair Vijums questioned what led this church to seek space in the I-Flex zoning district. <br /> <br />Pastor Josh indicated his church has been on a building search journey for several years. He <br />reported he has a desire to have a building that was close to the freeway, with high ceilings and <br />adequate parking. <br /> <br />Commissioner Wicklund moved and Chair Vijums seconded a motion to recommend <br />approval of Planning Case 21-005 for a Zoning Code Amendment to Chapter 13 of the <br />Arden Hills City Code to allow Places of Worship as a Conditional Use in the I-Flex District <br />as presented in the May 5, 2021, report to the Planning Commission. A roll call vote was <br />taken. The motion carried unanimously (4 -0). <br /> <br />D. Planning Case 21-008; Zoning Code Amendment to Section 1355 (Shoreland) <br />Regarding Accessory Structures – Public Hearing Required <br /> <br />Planning Consultant Kansier stated in September of 2020, Kye Samuelson (“Applicant”) <br />requested a Variance in order to construct an accessory structure near the shoreline of 3493 Siems <br />Court (“Subject Property”) within the Shore Impact Zone of Lake Johanna. The Applicant requested <br />a variance to build a 120 square foot accessory storage structure that encroached eighteen (18) <br />inches into the Shore Impact Zone of Lake Johanna. The proposed structure exceeded the eight (8) <br />foot height limitation at ten (10) feet, six (6) inches. The rational for the variance was that the <br />structure would be used for the storage of modern day recreational water equipment and the <br />hardship was due to the rear yard topography. The Subject Property is zoned R-1, Single Residential <br />District, is located in the Shoreland Management District, and is guided as Low Density Residential <br />on the Land Use Plan. <br />Planning Consultant Kansier reported at its October 7, 2020 meeting, the Planning Commission <br />voted to table the request to allow the Applicant to revise their plans to better conform to the <br />Shoreland Ordinance provisions. The Applicant took the Planning Commissions comments under <br />consideration and submitted revised plans for a smaller structure that would not encroach into the <br />Shore Impact Zone. The Applicant then proposed to construct an accessory structure that would be <br />nine and a half (9.5) feet tall and ninety-three and a half (93.5) square feet in size. However, the <br />proposed structure still required a variance due to the proposed height and area that exceeded <br />current ordinance standards. At its December 9, 2020 meeting the Planning Commission reviewed <br />and discussed the updated application. The Planning Commission voted 4-3 to approve the planning <br />case. <br />Planning Consultant Kansier explained at its January 11, 2021 meeting the City Council <br />reviewed Planning Case 20-017. The City Council voted unanimously to table this planning case to <br />allow them to review the existing OHWL accessory structure size standards. The Applicant signed a <br />6-month Extension Form, requiring the City Council to take action on the variance request by July <br />12, 2021. At its February 16, 2021 meeting the City Council discussed increasing the permitted size <br />of accessory structures within the Ordinary High Water Level (OHWL) setback. The City Council <br />directed staff to draft ordinance language to increase the size of accessory structures located within <br />the OHWL. The City Council did not support increase the height of accessory structures located <br />within the OHWL. <br /> <br />Planning Consultant Kansier reported following this meeting, staff has drafted ordinance <br />language and sent the language to the DNR for review. At its April 19, 2021 Work Session, the City