03-24-98 BZA Minutes
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Minutes of a Regular Meeting of the
Golden Valley Board of Zoning Appeals
March 24,1998
The regular meeting of the Golden Valley Board of Zoning Appeals was held Tuesday,
March 24, 1998, in the Lower Level Employee Lounge, 7800 Golden Valley Road, Golden
Valley, MN. Chair Shaffer called the meeting to order at 7pm.
Those present were: Chair Robert Shaffer; Members Herb Polachek, Mike Sell, Mahlon
Swedberg; and Planning Commission Representative Richard Groger. Also present were
Staff Liaison Mark Grimes and Recording Secretary Eve Lomaistro.
I. Approval of Minutes
MOVED by Swedberg to amend the second sentence of the first paragraph on page 2 of
the February 24, 1998, minutes to read as follows: Swedberg observed that the City should
have required an "as-built" survey which would have shown that the deck was added after
the original construction when the house was sited on the property. The motion was
seconded by Sell, and motion carried unanimously to approve the February 24, 1998
minutes as amended.
II.
The Petitions:
6528 Winsdale Street (Map 15) (98-3-4)
Andrew Mowery I Molly Mclnnus
Request: Waiver of Section 11.21, Subd. 12 Accessory Buildings -- to allow the
proposed detached two-stall garage be built next to the main structure
vs. to the rear of the main structure.
Purpose: To allow for the construction of a detached two-stall garage along side
the main structure.
Andrew Mowery and Molly Mclnnus were in attendance.
Mark Grimes explained that there have been requests similar to this in the past. A
detached garage is considered an accessory building and must be at least 10 feet from the
main dwelling. He said the applicants are planning to build 15 feet from the main structure
and will be 6.5 feet from the side lot line. The variance requested is to put the garage next
to the main structure rather than behind it. When asked about other locations for the
garage, Grimes replied that using the rear yard would require removing trees, shrinking the
size of the back yard, and installing a very long driveway.
Chair Shaffer asked the owners why they did not plan to attach the garage. Mowery
replied that an attached garage would more than double the cost and be out of their price
Minutes of the Board of Zoning Appeals
March 24, 1998
Page 2
range. He added that the garage door would face their neighbor, trees would need to be .
demolished, and the driveway would need to be very long and curved. Molly Mclnnus
commented that a 75 foot driveway is not attractive.
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Member Swedberg inquired as to the life of the trees and Mowery replied about 20 years.
Swedberg stated that the variance would be forever.
Mowery stated that there are three homes in the neighborhood that have similar detached
garages. He showed photos of examples. He continued by saying that they need more
living space and want to preserve the back yard for their children's use.
Shaffer asked about the size of the garage and was told that it will be 26' x 30'. Swedberg
asked why those dimensions were chosen and was told that they allow space in the back
for a lawn mower, snowmobile, etc.
Member Sell commented that this is a large piece of property - 2.5 lots. Mowery added
that there would be ample space between the garage and the lot line.
Swedberg asked if the front of the garage is at the same set back as the house and was
told yes. Shaffer asked about the materials that would be used and Mowery replied that it
would match the house. Mowery also stated that the existing driveway would be removed .
at the time of construction.
Swedberg commented that the garage would look better next to the house than in the back
yard. Shaffer stated that the character of the neighborhood would not be affected.
Planning Commission Representative Groger added that the design would match the other
homes in the area.
MOVED by Sell, seconded by Member Polachek and motion carried unanimously to grant
the requested variance with two stipulations - 1) to have 15 feet between the house and
the garage and 2) to remove the existing driveway at the time of construction.
5645 St. Croix Avenue (Map 11) (98-3-5)
Connie Sillerud
Request:
Waiver of Section 11.21, Subd. 7(A) Front Setback -- 4 feet off the
required 35 feet to a distance of 31 feet for the proposed living space
onto the front of the house on the northwest side; and
Waiver of Section 11.21, Subd. 7(C.)(2) Side Yard Setback -- 6.43 feet
off the required 13.93 feet to a distance of 7.5 feet for a proposed
second stall to the existing garage located on the northeast and east
side of the house. .
Minutes of the Board of Zoning Appeals
March 24, 1998
Page 3
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Purpose: To allow for the construction of a second stall to the garage and
additional living space.
Connie Sillerud was in attendance
Grimes explained that Ms. Sillerud changed the original plan and located the garage more
to the north. The plan given to the BZA for this meeting is the correct one. This involves a
setback on the east side.
Swedberg stated that the drawing doesn't show the distance from the proposed garage to
St. Croix. Sillerud answered that it is 107 feet to St. Croix and 31 feet to Xenia Avenue on
the northwest side.
Groger stated that although the house located to the east of Sillerud's is a bit ahead of it,
the neighbor's back room has high windows that face the garage, so the neighbors won't
see this addition. He also observed that a kitchen addition was put on last year. Groger
then asked about the roof line and Sillerud answered that it would follow the existing roof
and the courtyard would be roofed.
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Shaffer asked if the garage and living space would be aligned; Sillerud said yes. He asked
if a designer was involved in this project; Sillerud said yes. He further asked why the living
space jogs out and Sillerud indicated that the jog avoids the look of a bowling alley, and the
extension to the front also creates a foyer.
Sell commented that the roof line makes the addition look interesting. Groger stated that
the garage is large and Sillerud responded that it also contains a mud room. Swedberg
asked what the finished width of the garage would be and Sillerud said 20 feet, the
minimum for a two-stall garage. She also said that the garage would be deep enough to
store a snowmobile behind the cars. Sillerud showed drawings of the old and the new
designs.
MOVED by Sell, seconded by Swedberg and motion carried unanimously to approve the
requested variances as noted above.
III. Other Business
There was no other business.
IV. Adjournment
. 1[: adjourned the mee~ng at 7:35pm. k~~
Robert Shaffe~ Mark Grimes, Staff Liaison e.-