Zoning Board approves variance for 4709 Park Avenue garage over staff recommendation

The Minneapolis Zoning Board of Adjustment on Oct. 30 approved a variance to reduce the required interior side yard from 5 feet to 3.1 feet for a new attached single‑stall garage at 4709 Park Avenue, voting 5-0 with Chair Matt Perry not voting except in the case of a tie.

Ben Carrier, a city planner in the zoning administration, told the board the parcel is in the UN1 urban neighborhood zoning district and that the existing house (built in 1933) and attached garage already encroach on required yards. Carrier said the property is a 4,789‑square‑foot interior lot and described the proposal as replacing an existing attached garage with a 14‑by‑27‑foot garage that would be slightly farther from the north property line than the existing garage but still within the required setback. “Staff recommend the Zoning Board of Adjustment adopt staff findings for the variance to reduce the required interior side yard from 5 feet to…