Laserfiche WebLink
2) The variance is consistent with the City of Elk River comprehensive plan. <br />We are not making a request to change any zoning. There are an additional <br />178 units being built next door, so this is an established multi-family area. <br />There is a need for additional housing in the City of Elk River, and this <br />project would help satisfy that need. <br /> <br />3) The petitioner proposes to use the property in a reasonable manner not <br />permitted by the zoning ordinance. We are requesting to add ten <br />additional parking spaces, and then be allowed to have five additional <br />apartment units. There are currently three units that consist of two rooms <br />that are currently rented as one bedroom units because there is a door <br />connecting the two main rooms in those one bedroom units to each other <br />(these units were once motel rooms that were connected to each other by <br />a door between them). We intend to convert at least one of these one <br />bedroom units into two studio units by closing off the door between the <br />two rooms. Most of the units in the building are studio units like this. The <br />former swimming pool room is no longer used as a pool room; we would <br />like to convert this space into at least two and possibly four apartments. <br />The number of apartments in the pool room (at least two but potentially up <br />to four) would depend upon our estimate of the cost, and we would apply <br />for a building permit for this work once our architect finished the plan for it. <br /> <br />4) The plight of the petitioner is due circumstances unique to the property <br />not a consequence of the petitioner’s own action or inaction. The <br />configuration of the property is such that there cannot be any parking <br />added to the north, south or east due to that land being owned by other <br />owners, and parking cannot be added to the west of the current parking <br />because there is a significant elevation drop and any such added parking <br />would likely be in the FEMA defined flood plain. The only other place to <br />add parking on the current land would be to the east of the old pool room <br />of the building, but this would necessitate taking down an attractive tree <br />which adds to the beauty of the entrance to the building. Taking down this <br />tree would also be visible from the highway.