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To: Jessica Jagoe, Arden Hills Community Development Director Mayor David Grant Arden Hills City Council From: Katie Bach and Nate Cmiel 1861 Highway 96 W Arden Hills, MN 55112 Subject: Concept Plan Review for new home proposal Date: 05 Oct 2022 Dear Ms. Jagoe, Mayor Grant, and City Council members, We are requesting concept plan review of a new home design proposal to replace the existing structures (house and garage) on our property at 1861 Hwy 96 W. The existing home was built in 1939 by Frank Cmiel, Nate’s grandfather, and has housed 5 generations of the Cmiel family. We love the property location and setting on Round Lake, and want to continue maintaining the family home here, but the house is in need of major updates to bring it to modern standards for comfort, energy efficiency, and safety. After assessing many options and consulting with an architect, we have determined that renovation/expansion of the existing structure is not practical, and instead that a tear-down and rebuild is the only practical and cost- effective way to achieve a modern family home, built with newer energy efficient construction materials and methods. One of the most desirable features of our property is the many mature oak, maple, spruce, and cottonwood trees which were planted by family members many years ago and now provide shade, screening, foliage, and wildlife habitat. One of our top priorities is to preserve as many trees as possible when considering the placement and design of our new home. After brainstorming and reviewing concepts with an architect, we have determined that a variance against the front setback requirement will most likely be necessary due to the unique irregular lot shape, tree placement, and elevations on the property which restrict options for new home placement. The new home proposal is in keeping with the character of the neighborhood, where the closest neighboring homes are non-conforming to the 40’ front setback required by the city zoning code. In fact, the new home proposal results in moving the house further back than the existing structure, and generally meets the 40’ setback requirement, in keeping with the spirit of the zoning code. We have included a .ppt slide deck for review, which details: 1. Historical changes to property lines over time due to highway expansion 2. Proposed new home placement with requested front setback variance 3. Comparison of proposed new home setback to neighboring homes We have also attached a copy of our site survey with markup illustrating the setback requirements and buildable area per city zoning code requirements. Thank you for the consideration, and we look forward to reviewing our proposal with you and receiving your feedback. Sincerely, Katie and Nate $WWDFKPHQW&