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MACKALL, CROUNSE 6 MOORE <br />Ms. Kathleen Blatz <br />Page 2 <br />January 30, 1987 <br />lot" is a lot between two "streets." Id. at 10.02(42). "Street" <br />is defined narrowly under the City's ordinances to mean a public <br />street, and not a private road. Id. at § 10.02(67). (Private <br />roads are treated separately and defined as "street or road - <br />private." Id. at § 10.02(68).) Lot 1 is between a private road <br />and a public � <br />street and is, therefore, not a "through lot as <br />defined by the City's ordinances. <br />I remind you that "[z]oning ordinances should be con- <br />strued strictly against the City and in favor of the property <br />owner." Frank's Nursery Sales, Inc. v. City of Roseville, 295 <br />N.W.2d 604, 608 (Minn. 1980). As defined by the Ci ty�s ordi- <br />nances, Lot 1 does not meet the definition of "through lot," and <br />therefore cannot be made subject to the restrictions applicable to <br />through lots. Since Lot 1 is not a through lot, and since it is <br />contemplated that the front of Lot 1 shall be for all purposes <br />Hollander Road, Lot 1 meets the frontage requirements as measured <br />on Hollander Road, and rear lot width requirements as measured on <br />County Road 6. No variance is necessary and the proposed lot line <br />need not be re -drawn. <br />Issue F deals with the non -conforming structures located <br />on Outlot B. As we discussed in our previous telephone conversa- <br />tion on January 19, 1987, the rule articulated by the Minnesota <br />Court of Appeals in Odell v. City of Eagan, 348 N.W.2d 792 (Minn. <br />App. 1984), clearly precludes the City from requiring the removal <br />of non -conforming structures in the context of a subdivision <br />hearing. The existing barns.nd farmhouse are non -conforming <br />structures under the City's ordinances, and since the nature of <br />the non-conformance of the structures will not be changed by the <br />subdivision, the City has no authority to require the removal or <br />alteration of those structures as a pre -requisite to granting the <br />subdivision. Furthermore, I contend that the "guest house" lo- <br />cater, or. Lot 1 is also a non -conforming structure (indeed, the <br />previous City Council resolution relating to the original subdivi- <br />sion of Holly Acres so found - see, Memorandum from Michael P. <br />Gaffron to Mary Butler, Mayor, at. al., re: Subject No. 1090- <br />Preliminary Subdivision -Public Hearing, dated November 11, 1986, <br />at I. Introduction). Since the "guest house" is a non -conforming <br />structure, it also falls under the rule of law articulated in <br />Odell, and the City cannot require removal of the guest house as a <br />pre -requisite to granting the subdivision. <br />The Estate is not proposing that the guest house be <br />retained as a rental unit, and does not seek approval of the <br />continued use of the guest house as a rental unit. Rather, the <br />Estate seeks to retain the guest house in its present state for <br />use by the primary residence as a guest house. The Estate's <br />