2021.10.26 CC Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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suggested the applicant install a garage where he lives, but not in New Brighton. He stated he lived in a very friendly neighborhood with children playing in the street. He recommended the City oppose this request. Jennifer Evans Hall, 1296 7th Street SW, stated she opposed the Special Use Permit for the property at 720 McCallum Road. She explained she has lived next to this property for the past 17 years. She indicated she appreciated the aesthetics of her neighborhood and appreciates the strong sense of community within her neighborhood. She reported the opposition to this request is not meant as a personal affront, but rather the opposition was due to the fact the proposed oversized garage would change the character and uniformity of the neighborhood, there is no precedent for detached oversized garages in side yards in New Brighton, the value of her property and other surrounding properties would decrease, the proposed building would block a double gated fence used utility companies and the City, and due to the fact the property owners do not live on the property but rather moved to Lindstrom in 2019. She stated it appears the applicants employees now live in the home. She commented the applicant has been running their construction and plumbing company from the home in 2015. She reported this was a violation to numerous City Code requirements. She indicated the proposed oversized garage was for the business. She explained the property owner has shown no regard for the City, the Planning Commission or the surrounding neighbors. She noted the City and Police Department have been called numerous times due to code violations. She feared what would happen if this request were denied and the applicant attempted to build an oversized garage. She commented she was happy that the applicants business was doing well, however, she did not believe her neighborhood should have to bear the equipment that came with this success. She encouraged the Commission to imagine the negative impact this property has on the neighborhood and recommended the request be denied. Mike Blomquist, the applicant, explained he was trying to create a solution for the property. He noted he has had equipment consistently on the property and his goal was to move the business out of this property. He stated over the years he has not had the money to do a project like this, however, of the past year he has raised the money to build a storage garage. He indicated the proposed garage would only be used for personal storage. He commented on how his business was impacted by COVID over the past year. He reported he has an office in Lindstrom and noted the business vehicles can be moved to this location. However, he stated he still needed space to store personal items. He reported he was from New Brighton, graduated from Irondale and truly loved this community. He understood that he got off on the wrong foot with many of the neighbors. He explained he had sold a number of the vehicles and noted the rest would remain in Lindstrom. He hoped that the proposed garage would be a positive solution for the neighborhood. He stated he originally thought the garage height could be 30 feet, but recently learned this wasn't the case. He indicated he was willing to bring the height down to meet City requirements. He commented he would be willing to get rid of the shed and explained he was hoping the proposed garage would address all of the concerns the neighbors had with his property as all items would now be stored indoors. He stated he did not want to receive any future letters from the City. 3