03-09-82 BZA Minutes ����
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MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE
GOLDEN VALLEY BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS
March 9, 1982
The regular meeting of the Golden Valley Board of Zoning Appeals was held
Tuesday, March 9, 1982, at 7:30 P.M. in the Council Chambers of the Civic
Center, 7800 Golden Valley Road, Golden Valley, Minnesota
The following Board members were present:
Glen Christiansen
William Forster
M i ke Sel l
Donald Hughes (alternate)
Absent by prior arrangement:
C hairman Art Flannagan
Mahlon Swedberg
In accordance with current by-laws, Glen Christiansen, as immediate
p ast chairman, assumed the chair in the absence of Art Flannagan.
The first order f business was approval of the minutes of a regular
meeting held Jan ary 12, 1982, copies of which had previously been
distributed to the Board. (Note: no regular meeting was held in
F ebruary, 1982, as no petitions had been filed. )
Mike Sell moved to approve the minutes as written and presented,
second by William Forster and upon vote carried. ,
82-3-4 (Map 20) Residential
6 Aquila Avenue North
Gary and Cynthia Swenson
The Petition is for waiver of Section
3A.06(3) sideyard setback for 5.1 feet off the required
12.9 feet sidey ard setback from the sau th lot
line to a distance of 7.8 feet from the south
lot line to the proposed garage addition.
M r. and Mrs. Swenson were present. The petition was in order and consent
had been obtained from all adjacent properties.
M r. Swensen explained his proposal to expand their existing single-car
garage into a double garage and in using a portion of the interior of
the existing attached garage as a mud room entrance to the house.
S wenson described his lot as similar to a parallelogram with house placed
on an opposite angle and creating the north rear corner and the south
f ront corner as closest points to the side lot lines. He noted that
on the side where the variance is requested, the proposed garage would
more than comply at 13.4 feet (12.9 required for this 86 foot wide lot)
a t its farthest point from the lot line.
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Board of Zoning Appeals
Page 2 March 9, 1982
Mike Sell suggested narrowing the garage to provide more accessibility
around the south side of the house. Sell noted there was a fence there
now. Mr. Swenson said he would like the proposed width because the
e xisting house is small with limited storage space and also the area pro-
posed for a mud room in a portion of the existing garage limits that side to
only a compact vehicle.
M r. Swenson said he had discussed this thoroughly with his neighbor and that he
planned on removing the wood fence along the area discussed. His neighbor has a
chain link fence beginning at about the rear of the proposed garage addition.
William Forster said this appeared similar to other proposals for expansion from
single car garages and said he could see the advantages of the proposal and the
o verall improvement to the structure.
D onald Hughes noted the configuration of the lot and the placement of the
e xisting house and that as the lot line angles in relation to the house the set-
back becomes greater and conforming.
M r. Swenson said the addition would be stucco to match the existing house.
William Forster moved to approve the waiver as requested. Second by Mike
Sell and upon vote carried.
82-3-5 (Map 16) Residential
ar� au t treet corner
F aribault Street and Winnetka Avenue)
Richard A. Middlemist
The Petition is for waiver of Section
3A.06(1 ) for 10 feet off the required 35 feet
f ront setback to a setback of 25 feet
f rom the south 1 ot 1 i ne to the proposed
garage addition.
M r. Middlemist was present. Consent had been obtained from ail adjacent
p roperties and the petition was in order.
This is a narrow lot on the east side of Winnetka Avenue at Faribault Street.
In 1977, Mr. Middlemist received a waiver from the setback requirement along
F aribault Avenue to a mean setback distance of 27.6 feet at the center of the
lot. (The lot is 53 feet wide at Winnetka and 70 feet wide at the east lot
line) . A new home was constructed with an attached double garage.
M r. Middlemist proposes to construct his garage addition within the previously
approved setback from Faribault Avenue and within the required setback from
Winnetka Avenue (35 feet and 37 feet proposed) .
M r. Middlemist described the site as very visible and he needs the additional
space to provide storage for such items as a boat, trailer, etc.
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Board of Zoning Appeals March 9, 1982
Page 3
Glen Christiansen said he did not look favorably on this addition and he noted
the previous approval for setback from Faribault Avenue which stated all other
requirements f or setback would be met.
M r. Middlemist said he intends to abide by that and only would like the same
consideration as previously granted from Faribault Street.
Glen Christiansen noted that at the present time there is a metal shed on the
east end of the lot. Mr. Middlemist stated he placed it there for temporary
s torage with full consent of his adjacent neighbor.
Mike Sell said the proposed addition could possibly allow expansion of living
a rea into a portion of the existing garage and increase the livability and
value of the home. Mr. Middlemist said the roof lines would be maintained and
it would not look patched on to the existing.
William Forster said he favored getting outside storage under cover.
Donald Hughes said he was concerned about approving a waiver for a three-car
garage. However, the advantage of additional storage and the appearance of the
a ddition as described may not be prohibitive in this case.
M r. Middlemist described the noise and traffic at the railroad crossing and said
the addition would provide further as a barrier from the noise for his adjacent
neighbor and also his own living area.
Glen Christiansen noted again his concern for visibility of the adjacent neigh-
bor from the south side of the house. Middlemist stated his neighbor favored
the addition.
Mike Sell moved to approve the waiver as requested noting the configuration and
location of the lot and the advantage of inside storage.
William Forster seconded the motion and upon vote motion carried, 3 ayes and
1 nay, Chri sti ansen.
Donald Hughes brought to the Board' s attention a previous approval for a de-
t ached garage at 5140 Lowry Terrace, Mr. William Bick. Hughes noted that the
garage had received a waiver of the requirement to be placed to the rear of the
h ouse because of soil conditions and because it was a corner lot with insuf-
ficient room to locate the garage at the rear.
A condition of the approval was subject to the garage being architecturally and
aesthetically similar to the existing house. At the present time and as
constructed, it does not appear to meet that intent. The secretary said the
Bui1ding Department had not received a request for an inspection as yet and the
Inspection Department would contact Mr. Bick and reaffirm the requirements.
No approval will be given to Mr. Bick until he complies.
There being urther business to come before the Board, it was upon motion,
ec�n nd ot� adjo " at 8:40 P.M. `
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� len ristiansen, Chairman Pro-Tem o d . cke , Secretary
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