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ervi- f(e 1880 �Wain Street, Centervif(e, WX55038 <br />'Seta 1 651-429-3232 orEaX 651-429-8629 <br />l hhE�L1 1c5� <br />To: Planning & Zoning Commission <br />From: Mark Statz, City Administrator <br />Subject: Accessory Structures <br />Date: August 4, 2023 <br />Honorable Chair Kuiper, <br />Currently, the city code does not allow the development of an accessory structure on any lot that does <br />not have a primary structure (i.e., home or business). This is a particularly important distinction as it <br />encourages the development of a primary structure to drive tax base and prevents things like pole barns <br />or other unsightly buildings from being built on empty lots in residential neighborhoods. <br />However, in certain instances, this can be a burden for property owners that have purchased an <br />adjacent lot to their homestead, by preventing any reasonable development that would otherwise be <br />allowed if the lots were combined. It is important, however, to have extremely specific limitations on <br />any allowed development of a vacant lot so what is built does not reduce the potential of a primary <br />structure being built in the future. <br />To accomplish this, I would suggest modifying city code to allow the construction of an accessory <br />structure on a vacant lot if and only if: <br />• The vacant lot must be adjacent to a residential, homesteaded lot with an existing <br />primary structure on it and owned by the same family/person. <br />• Only 1 accessory structure is allowed, and it cannot exceed 200 SF. <br />• The siding of the accessory building must be similar in style and color as the primary <br />structure on the adjacent lot. <br />• The use of this structure can only be residential in nature (i.e., a playhouse, shed, etc.) <br />and cannot be used for any commercial or industrial purposes. <br />• An existing primary structure cannot be demolished or removed to make way for this <br />accessory structure (do we need a time limit here? Something like an accessory structure <br />cannot be built if a primary structure was in existence on this lot within the past 5 or 10 <br />years)?? This can prevent demolishing a lake front home for a boathouse, for example. <br />• In the event of a sale of the vacant lot to a property that is not adjacent, the accessory <br />structure must be removed or demolished unless a new primary structure is built within 1 <br />year on the vacant lot. <br />Respectfully, <br />Mark Statz, City Administrator/Engineer <br />