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City of Arden Hills Planning Commission Meeting for January 3, 2024 P:\Planning\Planning Cases\2023\PC 23-023, 1666 Oak Avenue – VAR Page 2 of 9 3. Proposed Use The Applicant is requesting a variance to decrease the required front yard setback of the single- family dwelling on the Subject Property from 40 feet to 29.6 feet for a proposed covered front porch addition. Section 1320.06 of the Arden Hills City Code requires a front yard setback of 40 feet. According to the Applicant’s narrative and the Certificate of Survey submitted as a part of the application, the Subject Property’s existing principal structure does not meet the front yard setback requirement. The Subject Property was developed in 1965 and today is a nonconforming lot for the front yard setback as the principal structure encroaches upon the 40-foot setback by 3.5 feet. Per the City Code, any nonconformity shall not be expanded but may be continued, including through repair, replacement, restoration, maintenance, or improvement. However, there are provisions for permitted encroachments for single and two-family nonconforming dwellings that would allow for an addition to an existing nonconforming principal structure. There are also criteria for permitted encroachments for covered porches additions to single-family detached dwellings. The plan evaluation of the proposed front porch addition will include a review of these provisions for the Planning Commission’s consideration. The Applicant is requesting the proposed covered front porch addition as the property owners report that the existing front entry steps are highly susceptible to freezing during the winter months and pose a safety risk. The property owners noted that several individuals have already slipped and fallen at the existing front entry due to the accumulation of ice on the steps. The proposed covered front porch roof design would mitigate the risk of falls due to ice at the front entry by shielding the entry from the elements. The roof design would also shield the front entry from icicles that form on the second-story roof above the front entry and protect those entering the residence from falling icicles. The Applicant also states that the covered front porch addition will improve site water drainage by moving rainwater further away from the home’s foundation. The Applicant states that the property owners considered the north and south sides of the principal structure as alternative locations for the covered porch. However, there are mature trees in both side yards that would potentially need to be removed in order for the addition to meet side yard setback requirements. The proposed covered front porch addition would meet applicable building codes and all other regulations in the R-1 District. As a nonconforming lot, the existing principal structure is allowed to be maintained through normal maintenance and repairs. The Applicant would not be able to construct the proposed covered front porch addition without a variance. 4. Approvals The Planning Commission is being asked to determine if a variance request for flexibility on the front yard setback should be approved. The submitted sketches show the location of the proposed covered front porch addition. The evaluation of the proposal should be based on the District Provisions in Section 1320 and the Requirements for a Variance in Section 1355.04, Subd. 4. Plan Evaluation Chapter 13, Zoning Regulations Review