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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 1874 e}; � d � ; Clt� o� ORONO � • : `. ._ . �:; RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL �^, �r �. ,y s.,:+", F ��; �' NO. 1874 tf..;:_�. .. • • • '.•.« i ,. w`'� ��:�;�, ;3:. A R$SOLQTION iUENYING A VARIANCE TO MLTNICIPAL ZONING CODE SECTION 10.25 SQBDIVISION 6 (B) FILE #912 WHEREAS, the City of Orono is a municipal. corporation organized and existing under the Iaws of the State of Minnesota; and WHER$AS, pursuant to State Statutes 412 et. seq. and 462 et seq. the City Council of the City of Orono has adopted zoning reg�lations for the protection of the publie� health safety and general weifare; and WHEREAS, Gordon Hedlund (hereinafter "the applicant") has an interest in the property Iegally described as the South 120.00 feet of • Lot 13, Hickory Hill , Hennepin County, Minnesota (hereinafter property) within the City of Orono (hereinafter "The City"); and WH$REAS, the applicant has applied to the City for a variance to Municipal Zoning Code Section 10.25 Subdivisi.on 6, (B) to permit the construction of a principal structure on a property that contains 9,532 s.f. or 44$ of the required 21,780 s.f. in area in the LR-1C Zoning District; and �` WHEREAS, the City Council has reviewed the application; the recomriendations of the staff and Planning Commission; the comments of the neighbors; and the comments and written statements of the applicant. � NO�l, THER$FORL, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of Orono, hereby denies the requested I.ot area variance for the property desc-ribed above based upon one or more of the folloi��ing findings ef fact concerning this property: FINDINGS l. As of January l, �1975, the east- half of the property has been zoned L'R-IC, Lakeshore Residential Zoning District requiring a minimum of 1/2 acre in area and 100 feet minimum width. The west half has �een zoned LR-1B, Lakeshore Residential Zoning District, requiring a minimum of 1 acre in area and 140 feet minimum width. � Based on the Ieast restrictive performance standards of the 1/2 ac"re zoning district, the proposed use of the property as a residential or buildable lot would require the following variance: ' Pa.ge 1 of 5 . � ����� � C�tY o� ORONO � �' •`an• .. !/ • `����..�j ';";��;�� RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCI L y.,.;� ."` 1874 ,y;;:;;;�� N O. �,. ;,: � � • • :,r.: . Lot Area Required = 1/2 acre or 21,780 square feet Existing = 9,532 square feet or 44� Variance = 12, 248 square feet or 56$ The Iot area would be further reduced by 700 square feet or down to 8,832 square feet ( 0.20 acre) if the variance was approved subject to granting Hennepin County additional requested area for right-of-way. 2. Prior to 1975, the west and east halves of the property were zoned R1-C and Ri-D respectively, effective since September 14, 1967, residential zones requiring minimum lot widths and areas no different than the current zoning performance standards. 3. Per the 1963 sewer district assessment policy, the easterl.y o parcel was assessed area, front footage, and unit charges. Per the 73-1 sewer district assessment policy, the west parcel was assessed front footage and area charges. The Ievy of sewer assessments does not in itself guarantee that a property is buildable. 4. A seasonal cabin existed on the property until the fall of 1968, when it was razed. No structure has existed on the property since then. , 5. On Aprii 28, I969, the City Council approved granting of a variance to the then owner Gary Setterstrom to allow the property as a buil.ding site, conditioned on proof of ownership of both the easterly and westerly parcels. This variance was never used, and no application was ever made for a building permit. Ordinance 172 adopting a revised Zoning Code effective 1-1-75, stated that "variances shall expire one year after the date of Council approval if not used". Based on , this, any variances approved prior to 1/1/75 and not used by 1/1/76 are presumed to have expired on 1/1/76. 6. The easterly parcel was forfeited to the State Land Department in 1979 for non-payment taxes. The westerl.y parcel was forfeited to the State Land Department in 1978 for non- payment of taxes. � • 7. � The City Council released the easterly Iot for sale to the pulic by adopting Resolutions #937 and #944 in 1978 and #1046 in 1979. The easterly and_ westerly parcels were again released for sale by the Council per Resolution #1250, dated February 23, I981 with the foliowing notice to the public: PaQe 2 of � (` ♦ �;��4, d Clt o� ORONO �� � • ��.,: .�, .. _ ;;�� RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL' ������ NO. 1874 • - • • '�`Rele.a e of these Iands by the City Council does not constitute an assurance that each parcel is or will be approved as a building site. AII. parcels remain subject to alI applicabl.e zoning ordinance provisions , incl.uding those regulations providing for minimum lot area and minimum Iot width. Substandard parcels may be useable only in combination with other adjoining parcel (s)". 8. On April 17, I981, Gordon Hedl.und of 1255 Pi•ke Lake Drive, New Brighton, MN 55112 purchased the two parcels for a combined price of $4, 000, the easterly parcel at $2,400 and the westerly parcel at $1,600. Hennepin County Department of Property Taxation conditions all sales of properties either at public auction or over the counter with the following disclaimer: CONDITIONS - Sales are subject to existing Ieases, to building restrictions appearing of record at the time of forfeiture and to easements obtained by any governmental subdivision or agency thereof for any publ.ic purpose. The appraise value does not represent a basis for future taxes. Contact the city where the • land is Iocated for details of building codes or zoning laws. ALL PROPERTY IS SOLD "AS IS° AND MAY NOT CONFORM TO LOCAL BDILDING AND ZONING ORDINANCES. THE COUNTY MARES NO WARRANTY THAT LAND IS 'BUILDABLE'. ALL SALES ARE FINAL, AND NO REFUNDS OR EXCHANGES ARE PERMITTED." 9. Any hardship sustained by the applicant is self-imposed. The tax forfeit property was purchased by the applicant in 1981 prior to his application for the necessary variance approval. The requirement from which a variance is required has been in effect since 1967. � 10. On April 23, 1985, Gordon Hedlund applied for a lot area and Iot width variance for the subject property. 11. The pattern of existing development on properties located within 1000' of the subject property is as follows: No. of Developed Properties 0. 00 - 0.10 acre - 0 0 .11 - 0.20 acre� - 6 � 0.21 - 0. 30 acre - 15 0. 31 - 0. 40 acre - 13 0.41 - 0.50 acre - 11 0 .51 - 0.60 acre - 14 0.61 - 0.70 acre - 8 e0.71 - 0. 80 acre -� 1 0. 81 - 0. 90 acre - 1 0 . 91 - 1. 00 acre - 0 1. 00 - Greater acre - 9 78 Total Properties Page . 3 � of• 5 , d C�t� o� ORONO • � RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL' � NO. 1874 • • • • The total number of existing developed properties� within 1000' of the subject property which are smaller than 0.22 acres is 6 of 78 (or 8$ ). The total number of existing developed properties within 1000' which are Iarger than 0.22 acre is 71 or (or 91$). One existing developed property is 0.22 acre in area. Based on the above figures, the proposed building site is considered as inconsistent with developed Iot sizes in the surrounding area. 12. Approval of a variance application requiring a 56$ variance to lot area in Orono's half-acre zoning district would establish a negative precedent in the future development of the area sur- rounding the subject lot. A review of the ownership pattern of the remaining vacant Iots in the area of radius 1000' surrounding the subject property indicates that at Ieast thirteen vacant Iots in the 9,000-10,000 s.f. range exist and could be considered as potential requests for buildability if the current application is approved. • 13. The access to this property would necessarily be very near the "S-curve" on County Road 19 and 151; any driveway Iocation on the property would be considered hazardous. 14. The Planning Commission reviewed the application at their May 20, 1985 meeting and recommended denial of the variance based on the following findings: A) Lot does not follow the neighborhood pattern of existing development, being smaller than 91$ of the developed Iots within 1000' of the property. • B) Relatively unsafe county road access. � C) Applicant had forewarning that Iots may be unbuildable prior to his purchase. D) Denial is consistent wit.h past denials on vacant � substandard Iots of this size. E) Property could be combined with adjacent properties to the east or south, both of which are substandard in area. F) Intent of the application is contrary to the letter and intent of the Orono Comprehensive Plan. . • G) Granting of this variance would set an adverse precedent in the City. H) The property falls too short of the zoning standards to justify granting of the variance. Page 4 of, 5 I�' L'.i d C�t� o� ORONO � � RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL � NO. 1874 • � • • I) There is an existing hazardous traffic problem on the "S" curve and that an additional access onto this point would further the dangerous situation. 15. The property can be put to reasonable use by either combination with adjacent developed parcels or by the County for right-of-way purposes; and the County has stated they are currently in the process of negotiating with the applicant to purchase the property. 16. In review of the factuai findings noted above, the City finds that establishment of a precedent that would al Iow severly substandard Iots to be developed would be in complete conf lict with the established environmental standards for lakeshore area development within the City and wouid be detrimental to the public, health, safety and welfare. The City also Iooks to the broader, environmental principals and goals set forth in its Community Management Plan and the intent of the specific zoning • district when dealing with matters related to the public, health safety and welfare. Issues involving the public health, safety and welfare are not only resolved in securing the obvious traffic and drainage concerns of surrounding property owners but the City also must provide its citizens with a designated and approved optimum level of density, open space and quality of Iife. 17. In denying this application, tYie City reverses its previous action of April 28th, 1969 (in which a Iot area variances was granted to Gary Setterstrom) in consideration of the findings contained herein. That variance approval is considered to have expired as of 1/1/76. . Adopted by the Orono City Council on this 28th day of Octo er, 1985. �' ATT T: . ,� \ 1�, � othy M. all.in, City Clerk Mary C. Bu r, Mayor � � Page 5 of 5 � _ � .� , � „1 ti. � � �. � Clt� o� ORONO • �: . , �� RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL" .� F� N0. 1875 + �`#.». � ,�. �._ ;s.' � r�S;. .,i'��.: 4 • � • •��,,.. e�.�• • A RESOLUTION GRANTING A VARIANCE AND CONDITIONAL DSE PERMIT TO MUNICIPAL ZONING CODE SECTION 10.28, SUBDIVISION 3A — FILE �928 WHEREAS, Richard W. Pula, (hereinafter "the applicant" ) is the owner of the property located at 2015 Webber Hills Road located within the City of Orono (hereinafter "City" ) and legally described as . follows: Lot 12, Block 3 Webber Hills, P.I.D. 03-117-23 34 0029 (hereinafter "property" ) ; and WHEREAS, the applicant has made application to the City of Orono rc�r a Conditional Use Permit to permit construc'r..;.on of a temporary guest apartment to be located in the upper f loor of the garage for the specific use of applicant' s mother-in-law and a variance to the area requirments of that same section as the property consists of . 9 acres instead of the required 4 acres. • NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of Orono, Minnesota: FINDINGS l. This application was reviewed as zoning file #928 . 2. The praperzy is located in th� RR-1B Ruidl Res�c�ential. Zoning District. 3 . On October 7 , 1985 the Orono Council conceptually approved an area variance to Section 10. 285ubdivision 3 (A) based on the following findings : a) The property has adequate area to sustain accessory uses associated with additional apartment unit. b) There is adequate septic area to provide future septic needs for existing house demands and the apartment unit. c) There i� adequate area on site for one parking stall to serve apartment unit. d) The apartment area within the garage area of the structure can be easily modified for single family use � purposes. e) The exterior appearance of the house still remains as asingle family house consistent withsurrounding Webber Hills residences. � Page 1 of 4 0 �� � , � ' . . • • M . . • • �-