Council approves detached accessory structure as principal use on vacant lot near **** Lake

The East Bethel City Council voted June 23 to adopt Resolution 2025‑39, approving a site plan for a detached accessory structure to be used as a principal structure on a vacant lot southeast of Longfellow Drive and Cedar Road in the **** Lake Beach neighborhood.

Staff told the council the city code states that “no accessory building or structure shall be constructed on any lot prior to the construction of a principal structure without prior approval of the City Council,” so the council reviewed the request using the city’s site‑plan standards. Staff found the proposed structure met the applicable ordinance standards, would remain under the 25% impervious‑surface benchmark and appeared to meet required setbacks. A condition of approval is that the applicant must obtain a building permit from the city before construction.

The applicant requested a 30‑by‑48‑foot garage to be located on the northern portion of a 1.54‑acre parcel the applicant combined in January 2024. Staff reported the lake shore is about 275 feet from the western property line and that the lot cannot be combined with the applicant’s nearby residence because Longfellow Drive creates a right‑of‑way separation; Anoka County will not treat the parcels as contiguous.

A councilmember moved and the council seconded approval; the motion passed by voice vote with no opposition recorded on the transcript.

The decision grants zoning/site‑plan approval only; building‑permit review and any required construction inspections will be handled by the city’s building department. Council members who spoke indicated awareness that similar single‑structure lots exist elsewhere in the lakeshore neighborhood and said consistent application of setbacks and code standards informed their support.