Consider Request for a Variance to Minimum Lot Size Requirement to Pursue a Minor Subdivision on the Property Located at 16520 Germanium St NW; Case of Paul and Mary Johnson

The City has received a variance application from Paul and Mary Johnson (the "Applicant") to deviate from the minimum lot size requirement in the R-1 Residential (Rural Developing) district.  The Applicant owns 16520 Germanium St NW (the "Subject Property") and would like to subdivide the property to create one additional buildable lot.  While this request is not one that the Environmental Policy Board (EPB) typically would review, there are some natural resources aspects to the request and thus, Staff thought it prudent to route this through the EPB prior to the public hearing.

Notification is not required prior to review by the EPB.  However, prior to the official public hearing and in accordance with State statute, Staff will attempt to notify property owners within 350 feet of the Subject Property of the public hearing via Standard US Mail. The Public Hearing will also be noticed in the Anoka County Union Herald, the City's official newsletter for public notices.

The Subject Property is located in the R-1 Residential (Rural Developing) district, which has a minimum lot size requirement of two and a half (2.5) acres.  The Subject Property is approximately 4.4 acres in size and has an existing single family home.  The subdivision of the property would result in at least one (1) non-conforming parcel with regard to lot size, which is prompting the request for a variance.  The Subject Property is also partially encumbered with wetlands and floodplain (both 500-year and 100-year zones), which limit the potentially buildable area of a new lot.

The proposed lot split would result in one parcel that is 2.5 acres in size and a second parcel that would be approximately 1.9 acres in size.  Lots within this neighborhood range in size from about 1 to 1.6 acres in size (note that the Subject Property abuts the Rum River Hills Golf Course to its east and north) and thus, the proposed lot split would be consistent with the existing development pattern.  Based on the lot sizes of other parcels in the neighborhood, the proposed lot split would not alter the essential character of the neighborhood.  Additionally, the proposed use, a new single family residential lot, is a permitted use within this zoning district.  Both are necessary criteria should a variance be granted.

The Applicant has worked with the Anoka Conservation District (ACD) in advance of submitting their application for a variance.  The ACD conducted a site visit and provided several exhibits to the Applicant conceptually showing potentially buildable areas.  It should be noted that an official wetland delineation was not conducted at that time.  Based on the information provided by the ACD, it does appear that there is about 0.65 acres of contiguous upland (e.g. non-wetland) within the area proposed to subdivided into a separate, buildable lot.  It also appears that this same area is generally outside the boundaries of the 100-year floodplain zone.  While portions of the proposed new lot may still be encumbered with floodplain, it does appear that there is sufficient upland area to accommodate a new home. 

Note that this is not an official application for a Minor Plat.  Prior to incurring costs related to a Minor Plat, the Applicant wanted to first see if it would even be possible to deviate from the minimum lot size requirement.  If the variance were to be approved, the Applicant would then need to proceed to preparing a Minor Plat and submitting that application.

It appears that the request is feasible and would not impact wetland areas nor result in a home being located within a 100-year floodplain zone.  Thus, Staff is supportive of the request but is of the opinion that approval of the variance should be contingent upon completion of a wetland delineation and survey work to demonstrate that there is, in fact, sufficient buildable area to construct a new single family home.  Both of these items are standard requirements of a Minor Plat submittal.
 

All costs associated with processing the application are the responsibility of the Applicant.

As this is not an application that would typically be reviewed by the EPB, Staff is just looking for feedback and/or comments regarding the request as it relates to natural resources.