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Homeowner urges board to allow elevator access to rooftop because of mobility issues
Summary
At the July 23 meeting a property owner and the designer urged the board to approve a small elevator enclosure to provide rooftop access for an owner with limited mobility, arguing the proposal is less intrusive than a larger by-right dormer.
During the public hearing on July 23, 2026, property owner Tom Borman and the applicant’s designer described why the elevator enclosure at 4629 East Lake Harriet Parkway is necessary for the family’s mobility needs.
Designer Colby Mattson said the proposal minimizes massing compared with a by-right alternative, estimating the elevator enclosure at about 66 square feet versus a by-right dormer of roughly 200 square feet. Borman described his difficulty with stairs and framed the project as enabling use of a rooftop deck his wife admired at a neighboring house. "The elevator is needed because I can barely walk," Borman told the board, explaining that without mechanical access the rooftop feature would be unusable.
Both the designer and the owner emphasized attempts to keep the new structure respectful of neighbors: the enclosure would resemble a chimney from the street and remain lower in overall profile than adjacent houses. Neighbors who submitted support letters were noted in the staff report; the board ultimately approved the variance.
