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Variance – 1201 County Rd E Gem Lake Planning Commission 9/10/24 August 27, 2024 Page 2 would be triggered. The current site plan incorporates 9884 SF of new and reconstructed impervious, only 116 SF less than the threshold. Triggering the management threshold would have required enlarging the existing rain garden in the southwest corner of the site which has the lowest topography for rainwater retention. However, the existing rain garden is at its largest possible size and depth. Therefore, existing pavement and parking stalls would need to be removed and relocated elsewhere, thus requiring more reconstructed impervious, and, therefore, yet more retention volume. Furthermore, enlargement of the rain garden would require additional tree removals which aid in screening the parking lot from the street. Variances are reviewed by the Planning Commission and approved or denied by the City Council. PROPERTY INFORMATION Description: The subject property is located at the northeast corner of the intersection of County Road E/CSAH 15 and CSAH 108/Labore Road. The west lot line is the ‘front’ lot line for zoning purposes. The site is fairly flat, with trees and vegetation along the perimeter of the lot. The development surrounding the subject property consist s of large lot, single-family residences to the north and east. Land south and west of the property is within the city of Vadnais Heights; this land is primarily commercial in use. Land Use: Institutional – ‘private childcare and education facilities.’ Figure 1: Aerial of the site, dated 2022, from Ramsey County GIS. EVALUATION OF REQUEST Institutional Overlay Zone The City’s Consolidated Land Use Ordinance (Ord. No. 131) covers the requirements for the Institutional Overlay Zone in Section 15. The WBMS property is the only property in the city within this overlay zone. Section 15.5.4 lists the setback requirements for accessory structures within the overlay zone – the front setback requirement is