street vacation - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

MEMORANDUM To: Chris Mattson, Planning Assistant From: Mike Gaffron, Asst. City Administrator Date: November 30, 2011 Subject: Inquiry Regarding Vacation of Barrett Avenue @ 1340-1380 Fox Street The City will not support vacation of all or a portion of Barrett Avenue for a variety of reasons, based on the following facts and observations: 1) While the City has in the past vacated three of the four 12'-wide alleys between the main platted streets within Minnetonka Bluffs, it has not vacated any of the 60' wide dedicated street corridors. The primary reasons these have not been vacated is because they contain municipal sewer lines or other utilities, or have future potential to contain such facilities; because they provide access ar potential access to maintain those sewer lines or other utilities; because they provide vehicle access to private properties; and because they provide for public drainageways. 2) The City has not vacated the 12' alley between Barrett and Hanlon Avenues in part because that alley corridor contains municipal sewer lines, hence for many of the reasons noted above. 3) The property at 1380 Fox Street includes 3 adjoining 50' lots comprising approximately 0.45 acres. This area is zoned for 2.0 acre minimum lot size requiring 50' front and rear and 30' side setbacks. 4) The property at 1340 Fox Street includes 2 adjoining 50' lots comprising approximately 0.30 acres. 5) The single lot north of 1340 is owned by the owner of 1380 and is approximately 0.15 acres in area. This single lot has been owned in common with 1380 for at least the past 30 years. 6) The northerly lot of 1380 and the single lot behind 1340 both have very steep slopes, at the base of which exists the municipal sewer line within an easement on both properties. 7) Based on the 2-acre zoning area and width requirements, the zoning setback requirements, and the location of the City sewer lines, the single lot behind 1340 is functionally not individually buildable, and the likelihood of it being joined with neighboring lots is minimal as all surrounding land is owned as part of or in common with other existing substandard lots. 8) The two lots directly north of 1380 are owned in common with the property at 570 Orono Orchard Road, and provide for a rear driveway access to that property via Barrett Avenue. 9) The property directly north of the single lot behind 1340 is part of the 540 Barrett Avenue residence property.