05-15-2001 Planning Commission Meeting

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ZONING/LAND USE CLASSIFICATION AMENDMENT ROBERT BECK STAFF REPORT The subject property is 30802 Old Highway 371, legally described as "the north 132 ft. of the south 264 ft. of the West 330 ft. of the NW 1/4 of the NW 1/4 Section 14" is one acre in size and is currently zoned Medium Density Residential. Medium Density Residential allows for one and two family dwellings only. Mr. Beck proposes construction of four townhouse units on the eastern half of his property. These units would be tenant occupied. Land use such as this requires Multi- Family zoning. Since changing the zoning for one parcel could be considered "Spot Zoning", the Planning Commission should give consideration to a long range plan for the neighborhood. Scandia North, a high density residential apartment building, is located at the north end of the block. The subject property is roughly two blocks from the exempt commercial district along County Road #11. The individual lots in this particular block are large in size and other owners may consider subdividing in the future. If Old Highway 371 becomes a "backage" road, there will be a higher demand for commercial property with road frontage. This may have the effect of creating more and more requests to change existing residential on Old Highway 371 to commercial operations, thereby increasing the demand for residential. (Almost directly across the street from the subject property is the Salon Couture operation) On the east side of the subject property is the City Limit. Annexation of a portion of Sibley Township adjacent to the east border of the city may be a consideration in future years.