5.1. BASR 12-20-2022 - Laserfiche WebLink

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2. Is consistent with the City of Elk River Comprehensive Plan. We are not making a request to change any zoning. There are an additional 178 units being built next door, so this is an established multi-family area. There is a need for additional housing in the City of Elk River, and this project would help satisfy that need. The Comprehensive Plan guides the property for Multifamily uses and the proposed requests support an expansion of the existing multi-family use. The requests will not alter the base use of the parcel as an apartment (multifamily) use and is consistent with the comprehensive plan. Variances may be granted when the petitioner establishes that there are practical difficulties in complying with the zoning ordinance. Practical difficulties means that: 3. The petitioner proposes to use the property in a reasonable manner not permitted by the zoning ordinance; We are requesting to add ten additional parking spaces, and then be allowed to have five additional apartment units. There are currently three units that consist of two rooms that are currently rented as one bedroom units because there is a door connecting the two main rooms in those one bedroom units to each other (these units were once motel rooms that were connected to each other by a door between them). We intend to convert at least one of these one bedroom units into two studio units by closing off the door between the two rooms. Most of the units in the building are studio units like this. The former swimming pool room is no longer used as a pool room; we would like to convert this space into at least two and possibly four apartments. The number of apartments in the pool room (at least two but potentially up to four) would depend upon our estimate of the cost, and we would apply for a building permit for this work once our architect finished the plan for it. The creation of additional parking will support additional residential units in an established multifamily building. While staff may have concerns with the long-term functionality of the parking configuration, the included conditions should allow the site to function as designed and under a reasonable conformance with the zoning ordinance. 4. The plight of the petitioner is due to circumstances unique to the property not a consequence of the petitioner's own action or inaction; and The configuration of the property is such that there cannot be any parking added to the north, south or east due to that land being owned by other owners, and parking cannot be added to the west of the current parking because there is a significant elevation drop and any such added parking would likely be in the FEMA defined flood plain. The only other place to add parking on the current land would be to the east of the old pool room of the building, but this would necessitate taking down an attractive tree which adds to the beauty of the entrance to the building. Taking down this tree would also be visible from the highway. This is a unique site in the city, having previously operated as a hotel and transitioned to an apartment building there are numerous challenges with the property. The applicant has also acquired the property from the developer that transitioned the space over to apartments and with that inherited the challenges the site presents. 5. The variance, if granted, will not alter the essential character of the locality. If granted, the variance will allow 41 units instead of 36 units. Other than the addition of the garages, which would not be visible from the highway, it will not be obvious that there has been any change to the building. The property is at the end of a cul de sac so those changes that are made will not be evident to the general public. Expansion of the parking area to support additional residential units will not alter the essential character of the locality.