Application 24-000965: Record Inquiry

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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.

Susan

Middle Name:--

Last Name: Field is required.

McNeely

Address Line 1: Field is required.

17 High Road

Address Line 2:--

City:

Inver Grove Heights

State/Province: Field is required.

Postal Code: Field is required.

55077

Business Phone: Field is required.

Mobile Phone:--

Home Phone:--

Fax:--

Email Address: Field is recommended.

susanmcneely@mac.com

Preferred Contact Method: Field is required.

Any

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.

465-0040-04825

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.

Susan McNeely

Address Line 1: Field is required.

17 High Road

Address Line 2:--

City:

Inver Grove Heights

State:

Zip:

55077

Primary Phone: Field is required.

(612)804-8802

Cell Phone:(612)804-8802

Fax:(651)484-9712

Email:susanmcneely@mac.com

Contact Person Name: Field is recommended.

Susan McNeely

Contact Person Phone: Field is recommended.

(612)804-8802

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:

Susan McNeely

Address:

17 High Road

City:

Inver Grove Heights

State/Province: Field is required.

Zip:

55077

Primary Phone:(612)804-8802

Cell Phone:--

Fax:--

Email:

susanmcneely@mac.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:2624 Sunbeam Island, Ely, MN

Is this leased property?No

Leased From?--

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.

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?

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.

We are varying from the required 100 foot setback. We respectfully request that we be allowed to locate the sauna within 30 feet of Burntside Lake. The sauna is 8'wide, 16' long and 12' tall, and is of log construction. The island is 4.65 acres, .35 below the minimum for this additional WOAS (an existing boathouse is the other), so the size of the island is just below the threshold that would allow this structure without a variance. We are on a lake water system and the sauna and lake plunge are our primary methods of bathing when the water is not operable. Placing it close to the lake would eliminate the need for heavy construction equipment to return to the island and disrupt the environmental healing process, we hope to locate the sauna between the main dock and the cabin and adjacent to the gravel path between the two. We are in our late 60's and one of us is unable to walk the path easily due to a back injury - making a long walk often made in the dark somewhat dangerous.

Describe the intended/planned use of the property.

The island is our summer home, used by my husband and myself and our adult children. It is never rented to others.

Describe the current use of your property.

We spend spring/summer/fall on the island, and visit occasionally across the ice in the winter,

Describe other alternatives, if any.

Locating the sauna 100' from the lakeshore.

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

The sauna, if approved for a 30 foot setback, will be minimally visible from the lake and partially hidden behind heavy tree coverage and fit in with other topographic features of the island.

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

There will be no impact on the neighboring properties as we are the only resident on the island, there are no neighbors within eyesight.

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

If we are allowed a 30 ft setback, we will avoid bringing heavy equipment back onto the island to move supplies inland. This is a low impact solution, the person doing the work feels it could primarily be done by hand at this distance.

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

A variance will cause less damage to the natural environment, and will allow the health impaired owner to use the sauna without risk of walking steep paths to the lake, in the dark. Especially when our lake water system is not in use.

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

We are quite close to the 5 acre minimum required to have two WOAS on the island, and if allowed we would place the sauna at the opposite end of the island to the existing boathouse. We had a permit to locate our boathouse close to the water, and opted to place it further away as it is now set back from the lake and less visible, which we preferred. We would greatly appreciate your consideration and will attend the meeting to answer questions, should there be any.

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:Susan McNeely

Address:17 High Road

City:Inver Grove Heights

State:MN

Postal Code:55077

Email Address:susanmcneely@mac.com

I have read and agree to the statement above.

I agree

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ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MNPLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT

VARIANCE REQUEST PERMIT APPLICATION

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MN
PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT