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r- 1 ,.\ <br /> ( ITEM NO. 5.7. <br /> MEMORANDUM <br /> -'ity of ./ <br /> JlkRiver TO: Planning Commission <br /> FROM: Gary Schmitz <br /> Planning Assistantdal <br /> DATE: July 25, 1995 <br /> SUBJECT: Ordinance Amendment request by <br /> the City of Elk River, Public Hearing <br /> Case No. OA 95-12. <br /> Request <br /> The City of Elk River has requested an Ordinance Amendment, which would <br /> allow attached garages to be located within 5 feet of side property boundaries <br /> in city-sewered single-family residential zoning districts. <br /> Analysis <br /> The City of Elk River currently requires that attached garages meet a 10-foot <br /> IIIside-yard setback in all single-family city-sewered residential zoning <br /> districts. However, detached accessory buildings in city-sewered areas are <br /> allowed within 5 feet of a side lot line. In several PUD subdivisions (ie. <br /> Deerfield 3rd & 4th, and Hillside Estates) side-yard setbacks for attached <br /> garages are allowed to extend within 5 feet of the side property line. The <br /> rationale on why this was allowed in these subdivisions, is that a 5-foot side- <br /> yard setback for attached garages would allow a homeowner flexibility when <br /> locating a home on a wooded parcel, so that an effort can be made to save as <br /> many existing trees as possible. Staff would like to implement this same <br /> reasoning on all single-family city-sewered properties. This Amendment <br /> would allow future and existing homeowners the flexibility to locate their <br /> home on the best possible location on the lot. It is important to remember <br /> that this amendment would only allow the attached garage to encroach to <br /> within 5 feet of the lot line. Habitable space of a home would still be required <br /> to meet a 10-foot setback. <br /> Attached/Detached <br /> The existing Ordinance currently allows a detached accessory structure to be <br /> placed within 5 feet of the side property line. Attached garages, however, <br /> have to meet a 10-foot side-yard setback. An argument can be made that the <br /> • land-use impact of a detached garage versus an attached garage are very <br /> similar. It is staffs opinion, that a 5-foot attached garage setback would <br /> S:Planning/0A95-12 <br /> 13065 Orono Parkway • P.O. Box 490 • Elk River, MN 55330 • (612) 441-7420 • Fax: (612) 441-7425 <br />