Application 18-000719: Record Inquiry

Scripting is required to fully navigate this site. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Planning and Zoning: Land Use

Inquiry Results

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MN
PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT

Duluth

Virginia

Government Services Center

320 West 2nd Street, Suite 301

201 South 3rd Avenue West

Duluth, MN 55802

Virginia, MN 55792

(218) 471-7103

VARIANCE REQUEST PERMIT APPLICATION

Your Contact Information.
If the information is not correct, you may need to update your contact information using the 'Maintain Contact Information' option once you have filled out this application.

First Name: Field is required.

Middle Name:--

Last Name: Field is required.

Address Line 1: Field is required.

Address Line 2:--

City:

State/Province: Field is required.

Postal Code: Field is required.

Business Phone: Field is required.

Mobile Phone:--

Home Phone:--

Fax:--

Email Address: Field is recommended.

Preferred Contact Method: Field is required.

General - This application is used to apply for a Land Use Permit. Applicants will need to attach the appropriate worksheet(s) in order to process. Incomplete applications will be returned. Note that the 'clock' does not begin until after payment has been processed for the application. For more information, see our website at: www.stlouiscountymn.gov/BuildingStructures

Enter the Primary PIN and Associated PIN (if applicable) of the property to be reviewed.
PIN is found on your Property Tax Statement. For example, 123-1234-12345. Primary PIN: Parcel where Structure/SSTS are located. Associated PIN: Additional and/or adjacent property that you own or that is related to the project.
County Land Explorer: https://www.stlouiscountymn.gov/explorer
Property Lookup: http://apps.stlouiscountymn.gov/auditor/parcelInfo2005Iframe

Primary PIN Field is required.

488-6000-28940

Associated PINs

Is this application being submitted for a Rehearing?
If this application is being submitted because a previous Variance Permit application was denied or disapproved, please select Yes.

Enter Applicant Information

I am a:

Landowner

Applicant Name: Field is required.

John E. Stark

Address Line 1: Field is required.

3315 N. Alden Lake Rd.

Address Line 2:--

City:

Duluth

State:

Zip:

55803

Primary Phone: Field is required.

(218)590-4118

Cell Phone:--

Fax:--

Email:johnvinyl@yahoo.com

Contact Person Name: Field is recommended.

Contact Person Phone: Field is recommended.

Mailing Address Information.
This address can default from the address you selected. If the values defaulted are not correct, please enter the correct information.

Same as Applicant address?Yes

Name:

John E. Stark

Address:

3315 N. Alden Lake Rd.

City:

Duluth

State/Province: Field is required.

Zip:

55803

Primary Phone:(218)590-4118

Cell Phone:--

Fax:--

Email:

johnvinyl@yahoo.com

Site Information
If there is no site address, the application will be forwarded to 911/Communications to assign one.

Is there a site address for this property? Field is required.

Yes

Site Address:3315 N. Alden Lake Rd. Duluth, MN 55803

Is this leased property?Yes

Leased From?MN Power

US Forest Service

Superior National Forest

8901 Grand Avenue Place

Duluth, MN 55808

MN Power

Shore Land Traditions

30 West Superior Street

Duluth, MN 55802

MN DNR, Area Hydrologist

7979 Highway 37

Eveleth, MN 55734

MN DNR Land and Minerals

1201 East Highway 2

Grand Rapids, MN 55744

St. Louis County - Duluth

Government Services Center

320 West 2nd Street, Suite 301

Duluth, MN 55802

(218) 725-5000

St. Louis County - Virginia

Land and Minerals

7820 Highway 135

Virginia, MN 55792

(218) 749-7103

Do you have written authorization from the leased property owner?
If Yes, you must attach written authorization form.

Yes

How is the property accessed?

Public Road

Private Road

Easement

Water

Other

Enter Project Information.
If you answered 'Yes' to any of the questions below, it is required that you submit a copy of a septic permit to construct or certificate of compliance approval or municipal/sanitary district approval when applying for a land use permit.

Is this project on a parcel less than 2.5 acres?

Yes

Is this project within 300 feet of a stream/river or 1,000 feet of a lake?

Yes

Is this project adding a bedroom?
Include home, garage, and accessory dwelling.

Total # of bedrooms on property after project completion.

Does this project include plumbing or pressurized water in proposed structure?

If Yes, please explain:

Is this project connected to a municipal or sanitary district system?

VARIANCE REQUEST WORKSHEET

A variance allows the use of property in a manner otherwise forbidden by a zoning ordinance by varying one or more of the performance standards such as lot size, setbacks, etc. Variances from official zoning controls are defined under Minnesota Statutes 394.27 and require the landowner to prove that the property could not otherwise be used or enjoyed in the proposed way by complying with ordinance requirements and that there will be no negative impact on surrounding properties.
It is advisable that you discuss your request with Planning and Community Development staff prior to submitting the application. Approval or denial of your request is dependent on the justification you provide in answering the questions on this application. For more information, please check our website at: www.stlouiscountymn.gov/VarianceRequired

VARIANCE REQUEST INFORMATION

Complete this form along with the Land Use Permit Application

What kind of variance request is this?
If this is a Variance After the Fact, you must answer additional questions below.

Variance Request

Describe what you are varying from and the situation that makes it difficult to comply with county ordinances.
If your proposal includes a structure, please also list the length, width and height of the structure.

I wish to vary from the 300 ft DNR requirement from the Cloquet River in locating my garage. My plan is to build a garage 220 ft from the Cloquet River. By placing it there, it is already butting up against dense woods behind it. If I were to move it back another 80 ft, I would have to cut down a large growth of trees which would take away from the primitive designation of the area surrounding my existing home, sauna and storage shed, which have already been built within 300 ft of the river. Besides having to remove forest, it would add an additional 80 ft of snow removal for me in the area between my home and the garage (I'm 74 years old).

Describe the intended/planned use of the property.

My property is a year-round home, where I have been living since 2001. My intention is to make my property "complete" in that I would have a garage for my vehicles and water craft to protect them from the elements. I have endured parking outside for 17 years and now I want to protect the newer vehicles that I have bought from the harsh MN weather.

Describe the current use of your property.

I may have already answered this question in number 2 above, but I will repeat. The current use of my property is a year-round home for myself plus a vacation destination for my family members. (I live alone).

Describe other alternatives, if any.

The only alternative in building the garage would be to clear cut an area of forest between the 220 ft and 325 ft from the river (where my property ends). Again, this would take away from the primitive designation of the area surrounding my property on all sides (plus being extremely expensive).

If approved, how will the proposed use, with the variance, fit into the character of the neighborhood/area?

If approved, the variance would preserve a forest area from needlessly being cut down. It would also be more complimentary to the existing three structures. If built further away, it would be an inordinate distance away from my home (especially during the winter).

Describe how neighboring properties and the use of those properties will be impacted by the proposed use with the variance.

There would be zero impact on neighboring properties. Mine is the only home on the Cloquet River in this area and I have no neighbors on either side of me. I am the only driveway on the left while going past 22 driveways on the right, which lead to cabins/homes on Big Alden Lake. My property is virtually isolated, at the end of the road!

Describe how negative impact to the local environment and landscape will be avoided.

The negative impact that will be avoided is not having to cut down 80 ft of forest towards the back of my property in efforts to move the garage back to the 300 ft mark from the river. Otherwise, the proposed garage site is NOT in a floodplain and would be located on the highest level of my property. The only minor impact will be the necessary removal of two trees near the building site. They actually are not in the footprint of the proposed garage, but are slowly dying and would be removed as a preventive measure.

Describe the expected benefits of a variance to use of this property.

The largest benefit of the proposed garage would be to make this property "complete," that is a completed homestead, not just a stand alone house. To obtain this benefit, it would only cost the environment two trees (that are dying anyway). I believe its a win/win for the primitive designation that surrounds me and since I understand there will never be future sales of the property surrounding me on the Cloquet River, as long as this home site exists, it should be developed to its full extent so there's less of a chance it falls into disrepair once I'm gone.

Include additional comments that will clarify your request for the Planning and Community Development staff members and the Board of Adjustment.

In retrospect, I really should have requested to have a garage built 15 to 20 years ago, but there just didn't seem to be the right time (and the money) to start the project. What prompted me now was the letter I got from MN Power in June advising myself and those leased lot owners on Big Alden, Little Alden and Spring Lake that they were pulling our leases and we now had the "opportunity" to buy our lots back from MN Power. Given that I needed to refinance to the tune of $42,660 to buy my lot, I might as well borrow enough to build the garage I'd always thought about. I really don't see a downside or an adverse impact on the environment for a garage to be built 220 ft from the Cloquet River as opposed to being 300 ft from the Cloquet River.

IF YOU ARE RESPONDING TO A PERMIT VIOLATION, PLEASE ANSWER THESE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS

Describe your reasons county zoning ordinance requirements were not followed.

Describe your effort to comply with the ordinance and to obtain a land use permit and/or other required permits.

Describe any substantial investments, construction and/or repairs made to the property before you discovered you needed a variance.

If there was construction or repair, on what date did it begin? What date did it end?

Start Date--

End Date--

Who performed the construction or repair work?

Was a survey of your property boundaries obtained?

Prior to the construction or repair work, did you speak with anyone from the Planning and Community Development Department?

By submitting this application, I certify and agree that I am the owner or the authorized agent of the owner of the above property, and that all uses will conform to the provisions of St. Louis County. I further certify and agree that I will comply with all conditions imposed in connection with the approval of the application. Applicants may be required to submit additional property descriptions, property surveys, site plans, building plans, and other information before the application is accepted or approved. Intentional or unintentional falsification of this application or any attachments thereto will make the application, any approval of the application and any result invalid. I authorize St. Louis County staff to inspect the property to review the application and for compliance inspections. Furthermore, by submitting this application, I release St. Louis County and its employees from any and all liability and claims for damages to person or property in any manner or form that may arise from the approval of the application or any related plans, the issuance of any resulting permit or the subsequent location, construction, alteration, repair, extension, operation or maintenance of the subject matter of the application.
If your name, contact information or email address have changed, you should update your contact information in the portal by selecting 'Maintain Contact Information' at the top of this page.

Submitted By:--

Address:--

City:--

State:--

Postal Code:--

Email Address:--

I have read and agree to the statement above.

I agree

Return to Search Results

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MNPLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT

VARIANCE REQUEST PERMIT APPLICATION

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MN
PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT