7.2. SR 07-20-2015 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Request for Action To Item Number Mayor and City Council 7.2 Agenda Section Meeting Date Prepared by Public HearingsJuly 20, 2015Zack Carlton, Planning Manager Item Description Reviewed by Ordinance Amendment Increasing Number of Chris Leeseberg, Senior Planner Accessory Structures Allowed in the R-1a Zoning Reviewed by District Cal Portner, City Administrator Action Requested Approve, by motion, the ordinance amendment request by Terry Nowak to increase the number of accessory structures allowed in the R-1a zoning district. Background/Discussion Current ordinances limit the number of accessory structures to two for single-family parcels below 40 acres. The city also regulates total garage/accessory structure area (square feet), which is based on lot size for parcels in the R-1a zoning district. The following chart identifies the current area limits in the R-1a district: Accessory Buildings in R-1a District Parcel Size Max Accessory Structure Area less than 1 acre 2,000 SF attached and detached 1 acre to < 2.5 acres 2,500 SF attached and detached 2.5 acres to < 5 acres 3,000 SF attached and detached 5 acres to < 10 acres 4,000 SF attached and detached 10 acres to < 20 acres 8,000 SF attached and detached 20 acres to < 40 acres 16,000 SF attached and detached 40 acres or more Not to exceed 2% of the lot area The two structure limit applies to all properties below 40 acres. The maximum area permitted is not equitably allocated for larger properties as two structures at nearly 8,000 sf for a 35 acre parcel may not be as appropriate, or economically feasible, as two structures at 1,000 sf for a 2 acre parcel. Staff feels the maximum permitted area is appropriate, as it scales with property size, but limiting a 1 acre parcel to the same number of buildings as a 37 acre parcel, for example, is not. An evaluation of surrounding municipalities revealed a range of accessory structure limits, ranging from two to seven for similar zoning districts. Additionally, Elk River is near the upper end for maximum area. For example, Ramsey allows seven accessory structures and 8,000 square feet for parcels between 20 and 40 acres in their Rural Residential zoning district. Staff recommends increasing the number of accessory structures in the R-1a zoning district from two to four for parcels five acres or larger. The increase provides residents with more flexibility when utilizing