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<br />r <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />~ <br />~~HILLS <br /> <br />CITY OF ARDEN HILLS <br /> <br />MEMORANDUM <br /> <br />DATE: <br /> <br />July 25, 2001 <br /> <br />TO: <br /> <br />Mayor and City Council <br /> <br />di-F~ 1<1 ~ <br /> <br />FROM: <br /> <br />Mike Cronin, Interim City Planner <br /> <br />SUBJECT: Request of Beth Mueller and Jason Rysavy, June 28, 2001 <br /> <br />The MuellerlRysavys are building a new home in Arden Hills. As part ofthe design they would <br />like to incorporate a significant (25% ofthe floor area ofthe home) office area for themselves <br />and up to four employees, as a work space for six people in their web design business. <br /> <br />The Home Occupation regulations of the City, Section 6 B 3 of the Zoning Code, recognize two <br />classes of Home Occupations. Class One allows only occupants ofthe residence to work on site. <br />A permit from the City, but no public review process by the Commission or Council, is required <br />for Class One Home Occupations. A Class Two Home Occupation allows one person not <br />residing in the residence to be employed in the home after the City approves a Special Use <br />Permit. <br /> <br />The Code does not permit a home office for a use the size of the present Catalyst Studios, two <br />residents, and two non-resident employees. Nor could it accommodate the planned growth to <br />include an additional two, for a total of four, non-resident employees in the MuellerlRysavy's <br />home. <br /> <br />Home occupations are becoming more conunon, and are very attractive for a teclmology based <br />businesses like that of the MuellerlRysavys. However, the purpose and predominate use of our <br />residential districts is residential use, and the expectations about the type of environment that <br />creates. In the short term, the threats to the residential environment are additional parking, <br />additional non-residential activity, and modifications to the structure driven by the need to <br />acconunodate the expanded office use that would not be compatible with its residential image or <br />character. In the longer term the impact is losing the ability to convert the structure back to a <br />residence, the intended expected purpose of structures in the district. And, a subsequent owner, <br />or successor in the MuellerlRysavy's business, may not be as compatible or sensitive to <br />neighborhood concerns as the MuellerlRysavys would be. <br /> <br />I <br />