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Council grants variance to encroach into bluff setback on Greater Lane property
Summary
The council approved a planning-commission-recommended variance to reduce required bluff setback from 30 to 14 feet (and a 6-foot encroachment into the bluff impact zone) for a riparian lot on Greater Lane; council discussed precedent and fairness before voting to approve the variance.
City planning staff presented a variance request for a riparian lot on Greater Lane that would reduce the standard 30-foot bluff setback to 14 feet and encroach six feet into the bluff impact zone. The applicant also sought minor front-setback adjustments (0.5 foot and a 2-foot stoop encroachment). Planning staff said the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) had no additional comments on the project and that the planning commission recommended approval with conditions.
Several council members discussed the broader precedent for approving shoreline and bluff variances on nonconforming lots built before current rules; one member cautioned about consistency across cases while another noted older cottages often predate modern setback requirements. After questions on soil erosion review and which official will assess soil stability (building official via county contract), the council voted to adopt the recommended resolution granting the variance.
