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LandUseVariances <br />Published:May21,2021 <br />Mhh\[dd~{†\[|•p|n{~fhzf~d{h|ŒŠchz~“. <br />Thiscontentconveysgeneralinformation.Donotuseitasasubstituteforlegaladvice.Anyattorney <br />generalopinionscitedareavailablefrom theLeaguesResearchsta. <br />Whatisa variance? <br />Avarianceisawaythatcitiesmayallowanexceptiontopartofazoningordinance.Itisa <br />permitteddeparturefromstrictenforcementoftheordinanceasappliedtoaparticularpiece <br />ofproperty.Avarianceisgenerallyforadimensionalstandard(suchassetbacksorheight <br />limits).Avarianceallowsthelandownertobreakadimensionalzoningrulethatwould <br />otherwiseapply. <br />Sometimesalandownerseeksavariancetoallowauseoftheirpropertythatisnotpermissible <br />underthezoningordinance.Suchvariancesareo=FL=JE=<ȆMK=N9JA9F;=Kȇ9KGHHGK=<LG <br />Ȇ9J=9N9JA9F;=Kȇ>JGE<AE=FKAGF9DKL9F<9J<KǷ3K=N9JA9F;=K9J=FGL?=F=J9DDQ9DDGO=<AF <br />Minnesota.Statelawprohibitsacityfrompermittingbyvarianceanyusethatisnotpermitted <br />undertheordinanceforthezoningdistrictwherethepropertyislocated( <br />Minn.Stat.§462.357, <br />subd.6). <br />Grantinga varianceGrantingavariance <br />MinnesotalawprovidesforabodycalledtheboardofadjustmentandappealstohearrequestsMinnesotalaaawprovidesffforabodycalledtheboardofaddjustmentandappealstohearrequests <br />forvariances(ffforvariances(Minn.Stat.§462.357,subd.6).Inmanysmallercommunities,theplanningMinn.Stat.§§462.357,subd.6).Inmanysmallercommunities,theplanning <br />commissionoreventhecitycouncilmayservethatfunction.Avariancedecisionisgenerallycommissionoreventhecitycouncilmaaayservethatfffunction.Avariancedecisionisgenerally <br />appealabletothecitycouncil.appealabletothecitycouncil. <br />Acitymaygrantavarianceifenforcementofazoningordinanceprovision,asappliedtoaAcitymaaaygrantavarianceifenffforcementofazoningordinanceprovision,asappliedtoa <br />H9JLA;MD9JHA=;=G>HJGH=JLQǸOGMD<;9MK=L@=D9F<GOF=JȆHJ9;LA;9D<Aparticularpieceofpropertyyy,wouldcausethelandownerȆpracticaldi;MDLA=KǷȇ$GJL@=culties.ȇForthe <br />variancetobegranted,theapplicantmustsatisfythestatutorythree-factortestforpracticalvariancetobegranted,theapplicantmustsatisfffythestatutorythree-fffactortestffforpractical <br />didiculties(culties(Minn.Stat.§462.357,subd.6).IftheapplicantdoesnotmeetallthreefactorsoftheMinn.Stat.§§462.357,subd.6).Iftheapplicantdoesnotmeetallthreefffactorsofthe <br />statutorytest,thecityshouldnotgrantthevariance.Also,variancesareonlypermittedwhen:statutorytest,thecityshouldnotgrantthevariance.Also,variancesareonlypermittedwhen: <br />Theyareinharmonywiththegeneralpurposesandintentoftheordinance,andTheyareinharmonywiththegeneralpurposesandintentoftheordinance,and <br />Thetermsofthevarianceareconsistentwiththecomprehensiveplan.Thetermsofthevarianceareconsistentwiththecomprehensiveplan. <br />Legalstandards <br />5@=F;GFKA<=JAF?9N9JA9F;=9HHDA;9LAGFǸ9;ALQ=P=J;AK=KȆIM9KAȎBM<A;A9Dȇ9ML@GJALQǷ2@AKE=9FK <br />thecityactslikeajudgeinevaluatingthefactsagainstthelegalstandard.Thecitysroleis <br />limitedtoapplyingthelegalstandardofpracticaldicultiestothefactspresentedbythe <br />application.Iftheapplicantmeetsthestandard,thenthecitymaygrantthevariance. <br />52 <br /> <br />