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ARDEN HILLS PLANNING COMMISSION – May 5, 2021 3 Planning Consultant Bemis reviewed the options available to the Planning Commission on this matter: 1. Recommend Approval with Conditions 2. Recommend Approval as Submitted 3. Recommend Denial 4. Table Chair Vijums opened the floor to Commissioner comments. Commissioner Jeffreys questioned if there were any other garages that would have a garage 10 feet or closer to the street. Planning Consultant Bemis explained she was uncertain if there were any homes in this neighborhood that had garages closer than seven feet to the street. Commissioner Weber reported the garage would be 27 feet from the street, seven feet from the right of way. He indicated he supported the proposed request and believed this was an appropriate use of the property. Commissioner Wicklund indicated he supported the proposed garage location. He commented the red pines are great for screening, but he feared in 20 to 30 years all screening would be lost and the garage would be visible from the street in the future. Chair Vijums asked if previous variances have been approved for garages in this neighborhood. Planning Consultant Bemis reported there have been three subdivision requests and one setback variance that have been requested in this neighborhood. She explained the variance and two of the subdivision requests were approved. Chair Vijums discussed the location of the proposed driveway noting it was getting closer to the property line. He questioned if this was another concern the Commission should be addressing. Planning Consultant Bemis stated the width of the driveway at the road would not be changing and therefore the driveway would be conforming. She indicated staff did not have any concerns with the proposed driveway. Chair Vijums asked if the new driveway would match the existing concrete driveway. Planning Consultant Bemis deferred this question to the applicant. Robert Kunze, 4073 Valentine Court, explained he had every intention of matching the driveway materials. He stated for the record that the red pines on the plans have been replaced with arborvitaes, hemlocks and catalpa yews. Chair Vijums opened the meeting for public comment at this time. There were no comments from the public.