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<br />Date: July 30, 2025 <br />To: Arden Hills Planning Commission Chair & Commissioners <br /> City Hall <br /> 1245 W. Highway 96 <br /> Arden Hills, MN 55112 <br />From: Tan H. Nguyen (architect representing the home owner, Ba <br /> Lam) <br /> Nguyen Architects, Inc. <br />Subject: Variance application for a new home <br /> Ba Lam <br /> 1622 & 1624 Lake Johanna Blvd <br /> Arden Hills, MN 55112 <br />Dear Members of the Planning Commission, <br />I am the architect representing the home owner, Ba Lam, at the Subject <br />property above, and would like to formally submit a variance request to <br />demolish and construct a new single-family home. Currently, Ba owns two <br />properties adjacent to each other, Lot 3 & Lot 4. He has resided in a single <br />family home in Lot 3 for the last twenty four years and enjoys being part of <br />the Lake Johanna community such as being a member of the Lake <br />Johanna Improvement Society. Recently his home was severely damaged <br />by flooding due to a burst pipe while he was away on vacation. The <br />damage was extensive throughout. Also the contractor that was hired to <br />do the repair participated in a fraudulent manner and damaged other <br />parts of the first floor level without Ba’s consent. In the process of trying to <br />figure out the course of repair vs rebuild, Ba has decided to rebuild instead. <br />There are several reasons that led to that decision, one being a moldy <br />basement. The existing home has a basement but its not adequately built <br />and does have some moisture issues. If would be difficult to fix the <br />basement without an adequate foundation wall. Looking at an addition <br />to the existing home , we determined that a variance is required for most <br />of the same items as a new home variance but it may not even be <br />approved with a property line encroachment. Furthermore, doing an <br />addition would create a home that is not cohesive in regards to design or <br />function since the addition would use more contemporary materials and <br />layout but parts of the home is restricted to the existing conditions. I have <br />seen too many additions to homes that should not have been done and <br />feel it becomes a disservice to the community especially ones that are also <br />seen from the lake. I believe this new home’s character will be in keeping <br />with the other lakeshore neighborhood homes which is why Ba have <br />chosen to rebuild. <br /> 3747 Minnehaha Avenue, Ste 203, Minneapolis, MN 55406 phone (612) 644-4369 www.nguyenarchitects.com