Laserfiche WebLink
<br />Planning Commission Minutes <br /> <br />-8- <br /> <br />with City Code. ~1r. Dahlgren indicated the need for the variance <br />arose when the building was incorrectly placed on the site 10 feet too <br />close to Hamline. <br /> <br />Mr. Dahlgren indicated there is no problem with the IO foot variance, <br />but there is a problem with the proposed treatment of the easterly <br />handicapped access entrance to the building. The applicant's proposal <br />calls for a sidewalk to be built 5 feet into the public right-of-way. <br />The original plan proposed the sidewalk built at the property line. <br />The new proposal also orients the entrance toward Hamline rather than <br />toward the south parking lot. <br /> <br />Mr. John Dobny, representing the applicant, indicated the original <br />proposal included a retaining wall which caused the building to look <br />like a larger intrusion into the setback area. <br /> <br />Mr. Ringrose, the applicant's architect and engineer, indicated the <br />lower set of steps leading to Hamline would be deleted from the plan. <br />He also indicated the reason for moving the sidewalk into the right-of- <br />way was to preclude the need for a retaining wall running the length of <br />the easterly frontage of the site. <br /> <br />Discussion <br /> <br />Johnson asked whether an elevator had been considered as an alternative <br />to the sloped walk. <br /> <br />Mr. Dobny indicated the building location error was discovered too late <br />in the construction process to allow the addition of an elevator at a <br />reasonable cost. <br /> <br />Dressler asked how the proposed sidewalk would line up with the other <br />walks along Hamline. <br /> <br />Dahlgren indicated it would be offset 5 feet. <br /> <br />Dressler suggested the offset sidewalk would make the building appear <br />more set out. <br /> <br />Mr. Ringrose indicated a retaining wall would accentuate the closeness of <br />the building. He also indicated that even if Hamline is widened to <br />four lanes, there would still be 7 feet of right-of-way before the sidewalk. <br /> <br />Matson indicated he had no problem with the proposal. <br /> <br />Wiski indicated the sidewalk should be constructed where it belongs. <br /> <br />Dressler indicated she feels strongly that the sidewalk should be located <br />where it belongs. <br />