05-27-2025 BOA MINMeeting of the Board of Adjustments
Held at the Elk River City Hall
Tuesday, May 27, 2025
City of
Elk = _
River
Members Present: Chair Perry Beise, Commissioner Eric Johnson, Commissioner Robert Rydberg,
Commissioner Dennis Booth, Commissioner James Zahler, Commissioner
Anthony Kaba
Members Absent: Commissioner Doman Bland
Also Present: Councilmember Jennifer Wagner
Staff Present: Community Development Director Zack Carlton, Senior Planner Chris
Leeseberg, and Sr. Administrative Assistant/Recording Secretary Jennifer Green
CALL MEETING TO ORDER
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the meeting was called to order at 6:30 P.M.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
CONSIDER AGENDA
Moved by Commissioner Johnson and seconded by Commissioner Zahler to approve the
agenda. Motion carried 6-0.
4. CONSIDER MINUTES
Moved by Commissioner Johnson and seconded by Commissioner Booth to approve the
following consent items as outlined in their respective staff reports. Motion carried 6-0.
4.1 Draft Minutes - April 22, 2025
PUBLIC HEARINGS
S. I Variance: Front Yard Setback, William Brey - 18696 Queen Circle NW
Mr. Leeseberg presented the staff report.
Chair Beise opened the public hearing.
William Brey, 18696 Queen Circle NW, stated he was the applicant and stated this request was to
accommodate his growing family. He stated his current home has no more than one bedroom on each
floor, and by doing this expansion, it will allow additional bedrooms and a front door repositioning. He
stated their home was the first built in the cul-de-sac and the front door faces the neighbor's house.
They cannot expand to the rear of the home due to the river. He commented on the 25% maximum
Board of Adjustments Minutes Page 2 of 3
May 27, 2025
for impervious surfaces, and noted the current plans are at 23% impervious surface.
Dan Ganfield, 18658 Queen Circle NW, stated he was against the "easy" answer of declining this,
comparing this request to another home on Lake Orono whose owner desired expansion, receiving
variances, moving the current home off the property, and created a beautiful rebuild after moving a
home. He stated he was in support of this request and excited to see what this home expansion can
provide for the Brey family.
Katie Ganfield, 18658 Queen Circle NW, reiterated Mr. Ganfield's comments and felt the home
being on a cul-de-sac makes it less likely to change the esthetics of a neighborhood.
There being no one else to speak, Chair Beise closed the public hearing.
Commissioner Rydberg agreed that the home being located in a cul-de-sac would not change the
esthetics of the neighborhood and to him, the house was built facing the wrong way. With the
improvement to the impervious surface percentage, he was in support of granting the variance request.
Chair Beise commented that every home located in a cul-de-sac where someone is requesting a setback
variance would be subject to approval if this was approved.
Commissioner Rydberg noted the applicant didn't have any control over how the house was positioned
when it was built.
Commissioner Johnson asked if staff had received any feedback from the direct neighbors.
Mr. Leeseberg stated he has not received any feedback from any of the neighbors.
Commissioner Johnson stated he feels the home's positioning is awkward. He stated he was trying to
think of how they could meet the 5 applicable regulations to approve a variance. He felt the applicant's
request to make the expansion was reasonable given the home was built prior to him purchasing it.
Commissioner Booth asked if the applicant could expand on the garage side of the home.
Commissioner Johnson asked questions about the grade.
Mr. Leeseberg stated about 4 - 6 feet.
The Board discussed the request and reviewed the 5 applicable regulations and asked to view photos of
the property. There was consensus that the plight of the petition was an awkward -shaped lot (unique),
at the end of a cul-de-sac, with no other direction to expand the home due to the river in the rear
yard.
Moved by Commissioner Johnson and seconded by Commissioner Rydberg to approve the
front yard setback variance due to the uniqueness of the property: the river in the rear
yard, and the shape of the lot has a slope prohibiting them from expanding the house to
the east.
Motion Carried 6-0.
Board of Adjustments Minutes
May 27, 2025
Page 3 of 3
r1
MOTION TO ADJOURN REGULAR MEETING
Moved by Commissioner Rydberg and seconded by Commissioner Booth to adjourn the
meeting. Motion carried 6-0.
The meeting adjourned at 6:51 P.M.
Minutes prepared by Jennifer Green.
Perry Beise, Chair
Tina Allard, City Clerk