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. . . Mr. Peter Hellegers City Planner City of Arden Hills 1245 West Highway 96 Arden Hills, MN 55112 March 23, 2005 Re: Variance Request Dear Mr. Hellegers: As property owners at 4365 Lexington Avenue North in Arden Hills, Minnesota would like to have a variance for one and half driveways allowed for our property, Enclosed are our site plans and photos of our driveway to clarify our request. At the March 2, 2005, Planning Meeting Commission three points were raised as a basis for motion to deny. #1, Lack of detailed plans for the new driveway. #2, The shared access was a condition of approval for developing the properties at which time no turnarounds were developed on the properties. #3, Multiple accesses would be more confusing and dangerous to Lexington Avenue. In response to the three points raised as stated above, we're submitting detailed plans on the location . of the additional requested driveway. The specifications are as follows: #1, The proposed driveway will be positioned 30 feet from the southeast property line; having a width of 20 feet, length of 48 feet and will be 70 feet from the existing driveway. This location of the proposed driveway would be the least disruptive to the existing vegetation, Causing the removal of one five-inch diameter tree and transplantation of five others with varying trunk sizes all smaller than four Inches in diameter. #2, Upon review of the site plan, logical location for the turnaround on our property would cause the removal of a 25-inch Norway Maple with a Ramsey County accessed in value of $10,309. We feel that the addition of a turnaround at this point in time just does not make sense. (See enclosed photo.) #3, We'd like to see the existing shared driveway remain as the main entrance to the properties. The additional driveways would be exists out of the properties. To establish this traffic flow we wilkpost an "Enter Only" sign near the center driveway and "Exit Only" signs be placed on the proposed driveway. Also, our house number signs would be placed near the center driveway. We feel that this configuration would eliminate vehicles from backing out onto Lexington Avenue when we have visitors over, Which we feel is a dangerous situation under present conditions. We have also enclosed a photo that shows just how much room there currently is with the shared driveway when two cars meet coming and going to the properties. Currently, when two cars meet on the driveway at the same time one car usually drives on our lawn to avoid the neighbors' block wall. On garbage pickup day this single entrance becomes even more confining. Since we are new to the neighborhood as of June 2004 we have not had time to landscape our . property near the walking path. Our landscaping plans are to add a similar matching block wall when the construction is completed on Lexington Avenue. Adding this block wall will cause the appearance of the shared driveway to be narrower and cars will no longer be able to drive over our lawn.