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Board tables proposal for two‑story addition on West Pope Lake to April after DNR, staff concerns
Summary
A request to add a two‑story, 14×43‑foot addition to a nonconforming cabin on West Pope Lake was tabled at the owner's request after staff and the Minnesota DNR recommended denial citing visibility, increased impervious area and lack of demonstrable practical difficulty.
The Cook County Board of Adjustment on March 12 agreed to table an application seeking variance relief to add a two‑story 14×43 addition to a nonconforming cabin at 8827 Old Gunflint Trail on West Pope Lake, at the applicant’s request. The hearing was continued to the board’s next scheduled meeting on April 9.
Neva, Cook County land‑use staff, described the proposal: the parcel is about 2.19 acres with roughly 147 feet of shoreline in the Lakeshore Residential zone but is nonconforming due to lot width. The applicant proposed a two‑story addition that would increase the structure’s height by about 10 feet and remain within the 100‑foot shoreline setback required on this Special Recreational Development lake. Staff and the DNR raised concerns: the cabin and existing deck are visible from the lake with limited screening, the proposed addition would increase visibility and impervious area near the shore, and staff could not identify a practical difficulty not created by the owner given alternative building areas on the parcel.
Todd Novacek, the applicant, asked the board to table the matter to allow time to review staff and DNR comments and gather additional information; he said he wanted to better understand the concerns and prepare a fuller response. DNR’s memo recommended denial because the agency concluded there was no unique hardship and that the variance appeared driven by design preference; staff similarly recommended denial while noting conforming space exists elsewhere on the property and that adding a guest house elsewhere would be allowed under current rules.
Board members who visited the site expressed concern about shoreline erosion sensitivity on West Pope Lake, wetlands and septic constraints, and the visual impact of a taller second story on a shoreline largely surrounded by federal land. The board unanimously voted to table the application to the April meeting; staff noted the tabling will preserve the current public‑notice record and that the applicant may use the interval to gather clarifying materials for the board’s review.
