HomeMy WebLinkAboutProposal for variance request 2.21.18-Mary Engers (3)Proposal for variance request 2697 Casco Point Road, Orono Mn
History and Current Situation
History of Home:
• The home was the family home of Mary Enger and her siblings. Their parents bought the home and the home has a long tradition of extended family gatherings throughout the years and they have continued to present date. Intention:
• The plans of Mary and Mark Enger are to retire in the home and make it their permanent residence. Their desire is to retain the essence of the original home and the cottage lake home charm of what they now call home. Current Home condition:
• Originally the plan was to remodel the home to bring it up to the family’s needs and while modernizing the plumbing, electrical and heating. After extensive consideration and design consultation, the remodel was not realistically feasible.
• Currently the home is in need of all major components to be upgraded including: Foundation, insulation, roof, siding, window, plumbing, HVAC and electrical.
• After thorough consideration the excessively increased costs of a remodel vs a rebuild would be a significant financial hardship. The rebuild would be more energy efficient and environmentally updated as well as a more sound financial investment for the family.
• The lot and original home currently range from a 66.4 to a 61.1 (as the lakeshore is curved) setback from the lake and there is 30.49% total hardcover. Floor plan updates:
• The updates requested would be for the safety and long-term livability of the home and its occupants. This would entail attaching the garage, adding a main floor ¾ bath in place of the existing ½ bath and providing a room to allow for the possibility of main level living for an elderly or disabled person. Lakeside impact:
• The lakeside setback would stay as the home currently sits. We have worked with the City Planner of Orono in designing the home to maintain its current footprint and volume for the area where the home is being asked to be granted a set back variance.
• There is also erosion of the retaining walls along the lake, we will work with a landscaper, the city and the DNR on appropriate permitting to bring this up to date as well.
Proposed Project
The applicant has developed a rebuild that emulates the existing home in style and scale. Designs, elevations and a survey are attached with this submission, that demonstrate the plan as outlined below: 1. We have designed the rebuild to be to meet the existing home dimensions and volume for the area in which it encroaches into the lakeshore set back. 2. The current home is 61’ from the lake and the home is 30’ wide. 3. Exiting home is 14’ closer to the lake as it sits now than city ordinance allows for new homes. 4. The proposed rebuild is asking for a 10.5’ setback variance for a 28’ wide (2’ smaller than existing) dwelling up until the 75’ setback mark. In fact, we are moving the house back 3.5’ from its current position. At that point the home design will be modified to meet clients needs as explained throughout. 5. We will also be centering the home on the lot (see existing survey and proposed survey). This will allow for equal space from both neighbors and room to plant trees for privacy on both sides. 6. The neighbor to the south’s lake views will not be changed as the home will not sit any closer to the lake then it already does. In fact we are moving the house 3.5’ back away from the lake from its current position. 7. The neighbor to the north, is a vacated empty lot that will be a new build at some point. 8. Existing hardcover is at 30.49%. The large majority of this is driveway and the large parking turn around. We are attaching the garage to both reduce this unattractive element as well as attach garage to the home. The new hardcover will be a reduction of 5.5%. 9. The new hardcover % is being proposed at 24.99% 10. The house hardcover % is 13.5%
Hardship and Description of unusual property conditions.
Narrowness The current house and property conditions do not allow for building options to the north or south as this would require additional variances and impact the current neighboring home/lot. This lot is a non-conforming lot and cannot be redeveloped without triggering more variances. The lot as it exists is best suited for the same/similar structure as was originally built on the property. The retention of this type of historical lake Minnetonka home, with its lakeside front porch, also remains the main goal of the homeowners. The Hill In order to safely utilize the property, it could be argued that the house and garage should not be moved away from the lake towards the street. In order to maintain enough acceleration space to get cars up the driveway to the Casco Point Road, it would be undesirable to move the house backwards on the site (as it is already difficult during extreme weather conditions) Moreover, because of the steep slope of the hill at the street side of the property, it is unrealistic (as well as undesirable) to place a new garage within this area, as it possible a car coming down the hill could slide into the structure if not given enough space.
Further Arguments 1. In 2001, the neighbor to the south at 2715 Casco Point Road, received a lake setback variance based largely on the hill from the main road to the home and the safety concerns outlined above. 2. The neighbor to the north at (ADDRESS) removed their home several years ago and the drainage was modified (see survey for drain field). This has caused flooding problems and water runoff issues. Our intentions are to re-shape drainage to better manage this situation and which would not be feasible if the home were moved closer to the street in addition to the “hill safety” argument. Thank you for your consideration and helping us build a beautiful home that my clients will enjoy with their family for generations to come. Mark Williams