HomeMy WebLinkAboutComment letter 12-18-19
December 18, 2019
Don Gamble III VIA EMAIL
Bgamble48@gmail.com
Re: 2474 and 2480 Carman Street
Mr. Gamble,
Thank you for submitting plans showing possible lots splits at 2474 and 2480 Carman Street. Lot splits are
considered subdivisions, and are reviewed by the Planning Commission and City Council. The Planning
Commission will hold a public hearing where public comment is requested. In subdivisions, all created lots must
meet the zoning requirements, or variances must be requested and granted. The City Council does not typically
grant variances for subdivisions. Further, any existing non-conformities (driveway configuration) are often
expected to be resolved. My comments are intended to provide guidance as you consider your next steps.
1. Zoning. The subject properties are unique, in that they both extend from Shoreline Drive south, over a
lagoon, then onto Lake Minnetonka. The portion of each lot north of the lagoon is zoned LR-1C-1, and
the portion south of the lagoon is zoned LR-1B. The lot area/ width, and setbacks for each zone are as
follows:
LR-1C-1 LR-1B
Area 0.5 acres 1.0 acres
Width 100 140
Lake Setback 75 75
Side Setback 10 10
Rear setback 30 30
You will need to show that each lot has a building site that conforms to these setbacks.
2. Lot area and Width. A proposal to subdivide any of the parcels must show that each parcel meets the
minimum lot area and width requirements. Within each lot 0.5 acres of dry-buildable area must be
included at a minimum. Lot area is defined in the subdivision code:
In urban areas served by sanitary sewer, each lot must contain contiguous dry buildable land
equal to the minimum areas as prescribed in chapter 78 or half-acre, whichever is less (exclusive of
public and private rights-of-way, vehicular or pedestrian easements, surface areas below the ordinary
high water mark of any surface water wetlands or areas at or below the floodplain elevation for a
specific property), and have legal access to the building site without encroachment of a wetland or
floodplain area.
Dry buildable land is also defined in the city code as land area occurring within the property
lines of a parcel or lot, excluding drainageways, flowage areas, floodplains, wetlands, marshland or
slopes of 18 percent or greater.
Your engineer can confirm, but it appears that a substantial portion of 2474 Carman includes wetlands
and the southern parcels cannot meet the lot area requirements when water area, floodplains, and
wetlands are excluded. Variances will be required.
Your proposed lot split shows the property line through the lagoon. This creates lake frontage on each
lot. Lot width will be measured at the lake and 75 feet back from the ordinary high water line. It does not
appear that the southern lots meet the minimum 140 feet width. A variance will be required.
3. Access/ roads. The proposed two northern portions of the lot have frontage on Shoreline Drive, a
County Road. The county will need to approve the driveway locations.
The proposed two southern parcels do not have frontage on a public or private street. The shared
driveway serving 2470, 2474, and 2480 Carman Street will need to be improved to city standards as a
private street (50 feet of right of way, and a paved surface of 24 feet). The end of this road will need to
include a cul de sac. Unless provided, a variance will be required.
4. Utilities. All lots will need to be served by the Sanitary sewer system. Utility trunk lines, if not at the
property, will need to be extended to the property at the developers expense.
5. Conservation Design. This project will require a conservation design plan. The applicable regulations
can be found here. The northern sites are heavily wooded, the conservation design plan should identify
tree removal boundaries, including the identification of substantial trees.
You had mentioned the desire to market the property as sub-dividable, with the final plat being completed by a
potential buyer. To do so, you should have at least achieved preliminary plat approval. The first step in this
process is development of a sketch plan. The sketch plan, which is drawn to scale and illustrates your proposal, is
presented to the Planning Commission and City Council, where you can receive non-binding feedback. While not
mandatory, it is often helpful for applicants to receive comments from the approving authorities prior to spending
money on the development of engineering, grading, and utility plans, etc.
In advance of making a formal sketch plan application, I would visit with the Hennepin County transportation
office regarding the access locations for the two northern parcels, the Minnehaha Creek Watershed district for
stormwater management and erosion control requirements.
Please feel free to contact me at 952.249.4626 or by email at jbarnhart@ci.orono.mn.us if you have any questions
on the above requirements or the subdivision process.
Sincerely,
CITY OF ORONO
Jeremy Barnhart, AICP
Community Development Director