9.1. PCSR 09-26-2023Request for Action
To Item Number
Planning Commission 9.1
Agenda Section Meeting Date Prepared by
Work Session Chris Leeseberg, Senior Planner
September 26, 2023
Item Description Reviewed by
Accessory Structure Sizes Zack Carlton, Community Development Director
Reviewed by
Action Requested
Review the proposed accessory structures size chart and provide staff direction on an ordinance amendment.
Background/Discussion
The Board of Adjustments has reviewed several variance requests over the years for parcels that fall just a little
under the lot size requirements for larger accessory structure sizes, often related to losing property for street/road
purposes.
The board, during one variance request, suggested the city look at reducing the thresholds to a fraction of an acre;
for instance, instead of 10 acres being the cut off point, use 9.75 acres to avoid the need for these types of
variances.
Instead of having acreage cut-off points at half or quarters acres, staff would like to discuss a sliding scale based on
each whole acreage. This would provide for proportionate size structures based on the size of the parcel and can
also address the loss of property for street/road purposes.
Regardless of what cut-off point the city adopts, there will always be a property that is just slightly under that size
and want the higher amount. With this sliding scale, residents would not be dropped down for instance, from 10
acre requirements to 5 acre requirements, but just to the next lowest full acreage.
Mission/Policy/Goal
Ethical, efficient, and responsible
Work with citizens to achieve goals
Attachments
Proposed accessory structures size chart
The Elk River Vision
A welcoming community with revolutionary and spirited resourcefulness, exceptional
service, and community engagement that encourages and inspires prosperity.
Updated: August 2020
Acres Sqft Acres Sqft
<1 2000 <1 1200
1 2500 Acres Sqft 1 2500
2 2500 <1 2000 2 2500
2.5 2500 1-3 2500 3 2500
3 3000 3 3000 4 2500
4 3000 4 3500 5 3500
5 4000 5 4000 6 3500
6 4000 6 4500 7 3500
7 4000 7 5000 8 3500
8 4000 8 6000 9 3500
9 4000 9 7000 10 4500
10 8000 10 8000 11 4500
11 8000 11 8500 12 4500
12 8000 12 9000 13 4500
13 8000 13 9500 14 4500
14 8000 14 10000 15 4500
15 8000 15-40 15000 16 4500
16 8000 >40 2%17 4500
17 8000 18 4500
18 8000 19 4500
19 8000 20-40 6000
20-40 16000
>40 2%
Proposed accessory structures size chart
R1a - Accessory Structures
Exisitng Proposed Exisitng
Other R1's