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Memorandum To: Gem Lake Planning Commission Project Reference: Variance – 1201 County Rd E Copies To: Marnie McPherson, Applicant Robbie Latta, Contractor TKDA Project No.: 21076.000 From: Evan Monson, Planner Client No.: Date: August 29, 2024 SUBJECT: A 16.8-foot Variance request to construct an accessory structure (shed) within the side yard setback MEETING DATE: September 10, 2024 LOCATION: 1201 County Road E East (Parcel ID 283022440006) APPLICANTS: Marnie McPherson, Head of School – White Bear Montessori School OWNER: White Bear Montessori School ZONING: Executive Residential (RX), Institutional Overlay Zone REVIEW PERIOD: 60-day period ends 10/18/2024 ITEMS REVIEWED: Application and plans received on 8/19/2024 DESCRIPTION OF THE REQUEST The White Bear Montessori School (WBMS) operates at 1201 County Road E East, at the southwest corner of the city. The school is in the midst of an expansion project that started earlier this year. Building permits for the project were issued by the City in April of 2024. The project includes an addition onto the existing school and exterior improvements to the site. As part of the project, a 14-foot by 16-foot storage shed was constructed on the south side of the property. The shed was placed at a setback of 33.2 feet from the south lot line, which is within the required side yard setback of 50 feet. Prior to the new construction on the property, a storage shed of similar size was located on the property, just east of the parking lot, at a setback of 62 feet from the south lot line. The Building Department inspected the site and noted that the shed was within the setback from the side lot line. Building Department staff notified the applicant’s contractor and noted that the two options were to move the shed to a compliant setback or request a variance from the city to keep the shed in the existing location. The contractor for the project stated that the shed was built in the following location for two reasons , per the narrative from their submittal dated 8/15/24: 1. The site needs as much additional parking as possible. Construction of the shed in the as -built location [within the setback] allowed 2 additional ADA parking stalls along the existing row of parking. The previous shed location required the pavement space in front of the shed to be designated ‘no parking’ to maintain access by garbage truck and maintenance staff. Given this issue. the decision was made to move the shed location to an area not otherwise needed by additional parking. 2. While the pavement to the east of the existing parking lot could have been expanded to increase the number of site parking stalls and provide space for the shed in compliance with the setback, the watershed’s 10,000 SF of new/reconstructed impervious surface threshold for stormwater management