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<br /> , <br /> . ~ <br /> ~~HILLS <br /> MEMORANDUM <br /> DATE: February 21, 2006 PC Agenda Item 4.A <br /> TO: Planning Commission <br /> FROM: James Lehnhoff, City Planner <br /> SUBJECT: Front Porch Encroachment <br /> Backe:round <br /> In May 2005, the City adopted an amendment to the Zoning Ordinance that allowed front <br /> porches to encroach into the front setback under certain conditions without a variance (Section <br /> 6.C.2.d). One ofthe conditions was that the front porch could not be any closer than 30 feet to <br /> the front lot line. However, in certain parts of the City (e.g. Chatham neighborhood), many of <br /> . the homes were built 30 feet or less from the lot line, which precludes them from constructing a <br /> front porch per the current front porch ordinance amendment. Although the amendment did <br /> increase flexibility for many of the dwellings in the City, entire neighborhoods are still unable to <br /> construct a front porch. <br /> In September 2005, the Planning Commission reviewed an ordinance amendment proposal to <br /> allow the construction of a front porch for homes that are closer than 40 feet to the front lot line <br /> in the Chatham Subdivision. Based on a review of the minutes from that meeting, the Planning <br /> Commission was concerned with the proposal because it singled out a specific neighborhood and <br /> may not have resolved the issue for most of the dwellings in Arden Hills. Staffwas requested to <br /> revise the ordinance amendment with the intent of resolving the issue for virtually all dwellings <br /> in the City instead of an ordinance for a specific neighborhood. <br /> Ordinance Proposal <br /> Staff has prepared an ordinance amendment that addresses the front porch encroachment issue <br /> for virtually all dwellings in the City in a consistent manner. The basic idea of the amendment is <br /> to change from an ordinance that states porches cannot be closer than 30 feet to the front lot line <br /> to a more flexible but consistent standard. The new language bases the extent of the front porch <br /> City of Arden Hills <br /> Planning Commission Meetingfor March 1. 2006 <br /> . IlMetro-ineLu,\ardcnhillslPlanninglPlanning Case,\2006\()6.QXX Front Pooch Ordinance Amcndment\()222t16 - PC report - Front Porch <br /> Encroachment.doc Page 1 orz <br />