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. . . ARDEN HILLS PLANNING COMMISSION -OCTOBER 4, 2006 2 A. PLANNING CASE #06-030 - V AlliANCE, BRAD AND SARAH LIS; 1546 ARDEN PLACE Mr. Lehnhoff stated applicants were requesting two variances. The first request is to permit the property to have two acccss points to the public street, Arden Place, The second request is to permit the property to have a crushed rock driveway instead of a driveway with an improved surface. Hc stated while the variance requests were unlikely to have a negative impact on the immediate neighborhood, staff has been unable to identify a certifiable hardship for either variance request. A single access, improved driveway would be similar in character to most other properties in the neighborhood and most other properties in the City, He indicated the Zoning Ordina11ce requires an improved surface lor driveways, which included concrete, asphalt, or pavers. The Zoning Ordinance was amended in 2000 to restrict each residential property to one access point and to require an improved surface for each residential property. Properties with more than one access or an improved surface prior to 2000 are legal, non-conforming uses that may remain. However, redeveloped properties are required to conform to the regulations in the Zoning Ordinance He noted the approved building permit from 2002 indicated one driveway access to the public street. Staff was unable to identify any unique hardship for either variances and recommends denial of both Varia11CeS, Ile indicated he had received an email from Mr. Lis dated October 3,2006 pointing out a couple of details that he believed were not factual with regard to staWs report, Mr. Lis also provided an alternate set of findings to support his variance requests, Chair Sand opened the public hearing at 7: 10 p.m. Brad Lis, 1548 Arden Place West, stated his main hardship was that the site had three big oak trees sitting in the middle where the driveway would be. J Ie stated they wanted to preserve the trees and made two IS-foot openings instead of one 30-foot opening. He believed his driveway would fit into the character of the neighborhood, He stated they consider the crushed rock was an improved finish and it did say crushed rock in the plans they submitted. He noted the erushed roek matched the house also. He stated the crushed rock they put in was tightly compacted and does not move, He recommended the City amend the Ordinance to approve this type of surface as an improved surface, Commissioner Modesette asked if the original driveway was on the same site with the oJd house. Mr. Lis responded the dliveway was on the other side, Commissioner Modesette asked why they did not extend the width of the driveway to the street to the west. Mr. Lis responded there were trees on that side also. Commissioner Modesette noted they could turn around without having the "wing" out into the road, Mr. Lis responded they had considered that, but the symmetry was one of the things they liked about it; it flowed nicely, Commissioner Larson asked if onc tree had been removed. Mr. Lis responded the City cut one oak down as part ofthe street reconstruction, which thcy were not happy about.