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Driveway Access <br />Section 1325.06, Subd. 1 (B) — Access of the Zoning Code requires "any residential lot, which <br />has frontage on both a local street and a collector street or a major or minor arterial (as defined <br />by the Comprehensive Plan of Arden Hills), [to] gain access only from the local street." The <br />Applicants are requesting a variance from this provision to construct a future driveway off <br />Snelling Avenue North —a collector street, instead of Ridgewood Road —a local street. <br />As proposed, the driveway off of Snelling Avenue North would have a 10% slope. The <br />Applicants have stated that from the street to the garage there is an elevation change of 20 feet <br />which would make for unsafe conditions to have their driveway access off of Ridgewood Road. <br />Other City Codes - Landscaped Area, Structure Coverage, and Floor Area Ratio <br />At this time, the Applicants have chosen not to include calculations for floor area ratio. Before <br />finalizing their home design, the Applicants are looking to complete the City review of the <br />current variance request. The Applicants will finish the design of a future structure depending on <br />the outcome of the variance request. The certificate of survey identifies the proposed house <br />footprint would equate to 15.4% structure coverage (max allowed 25%) and 23.2% impervious <br />(max allowed 35%). <br />The table below provides the district standards for the R-1 District and the preliminary analysis <br />for the proposed development: <br />Required <br />Proposed <br />Lot Area <br />Minimum 14,000 SF <br />14,472 SF <br />Lot Width/Depth <br />95'/130' <br />95.96'/97.4' <br />Front Yard Setback — <br />Minimum 40' <br />16' <br />Ridgewood Road <br />Front Yard Setback — <br />Minimum 40' <br />10, <br />Snelling Avenue North <br />Side Yard Setback <br />10' Minimum/ <br />14' (south)/ <br />25' Combined <br />69.9' Combined <br />Driveway Access <br />Local Street — Ridgewood <br />Collector Street — Snelling <br />Road <br />Avenue North <br />Landscaped Area <br />Greater than 65% (Minimum <br />76% <br />9,407 SF <br />Structure Coverage <br />Less than 25% (Maximum <br />15.4% <br />3,618 SF <br />Floor Area Ratio <br />Less than 0.3 (Maximum <br />N/A <br />4,341 SF <br />Minimum <br />20' <br />46' <br />Dwelling/Structure Width <br />2. Variance Review <br />The role of the Planning Commission is to determine and consider how the facts presented to them <br />compare with the city's articulated standards. The Commission should base their decision on the <br />facts presented and then apply those facts to the legal standards contained in city ordinances and <br />relevant state law. Neighborhood opinion alone is not a valid basis for granting or denying a <br />variance request. While the Planning Commission may feel their decision should reflect the overall <br />Page 5 of 10 <br />