02-17-1998 Planning Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Zoning File #2326 Januar>’ 16, 1998 Page 3 C. D. E. F. Front yard. The minimum front yard requirement for the B-5 District is 20'. While the proposed building will be set back appro.ximately 78' from the front lot line, the proposed front parking area is only 5' from the front lot line. Zoning Code Section 10.61, Subd. 5 (B), which will be applied to this project, disallows parking spaces in a required yard or landscape area. Therefore, a variance for parking encroachment into the front yard is requested by the applicant. The applicant has discussed in his submittals the limitations and hardships which lead to the request for variance to allow parking to encroach 15' into the 20' front yard, and this will be further addressed later in this memo. Rear yard. The B-5 rear yard requirement is 30', with a side yard adjacent to R District of 15'. No structures are proposed in any side or rear yard, except that a backup apron at the northerly end of the parking lot will be approximately 14' from the Olive Avenue right-of-way. Section 10.61, Subd. 5 (B) allows parking in a rear yard to within 3' except when that rear or side line is in common with an R District (which in this case, it is). Because this is a 'through' lot, for zoning purposes it has two front yards, one abutting Shadywood Road and one abutting Olive Avenue. It would ippear to staff that a 20' yard should be maintained along Olive Avenue. The backup apron encroaches to within 14'. Therefore a 6’ variance is required for that small portion of parking lot. Applicant proposes two entrance monuments and a pylon sign within the front yard along Shadywood Road, which will be discussed under the signage heading below. Setbacks. The B-5 District requires buildings be no nearer than 35' to the front lot line, 35' from the rear lot line, 15' from the side lot line and 35' from any lot line abutting a residential district. The proposed building meets all setback requirements, as does the proposed trash enclosure location and the drive through canopy. Fencing. No fencing is proposed for the site. The B-5 District standards require that where the B-5 abuts an R District along the side or rear lot line, a fence or compact evergreen hedge no less than 50% opaque nor less than 6' in height shall be erected along the abutting lines except within the required front yard. The proposed landscape plan indicates an arborvitae hedge along the north side lot line abutting the LR-IC residential district. The City's consultant landscape architect, Wally Case from DSU, Inc. has reviewed the landscape plan and while his written comments will not be available until after the Planning Commission meeting, he has expressed concern that the landscape plan is inadequate, and the City should consider a landscape plan that provides not only a buffer from the surrounding residential neighborhood, but enhances the neighborhood.