Variance, Appeals & Special Agreements

To request a variance, appeal, or special agreement, submit an online application. Planning Division staff will prepare a report and schedule a public hearing with the Planning Commission. The Planning Commission's recommendation will be forwarded to the City Council for a final decision.

Variance

Only specific items are eligible for a variance under State Statutes and City Ordinance. The City may grant a variance from the strict application of the Zoning Ordinance provisions if unique property characteristics create an undue hardship in developing the lot beyond mere inconvenience. The variance must also not negatively impact the neighborhood's character or contradict the intent of the Zoning Ordinance.

An undue hardship, in relation to a variance, means the property cannot be reasonably used under the conditions set by official controls. The hardship must result from unique circumstances specific to the property, not caused by the landowner. Economic factors alone do not constitute an undue hardship if the property can be reasonably used under the ordinance.

Application & Filing Requirements 

The Variance, Appeals & Special Agreements application is available through our online permitting system (Accela) and can be accessed via the Citizen Access portal linked to below. Before you submit an application, please be sure to discuss your project with a Planner to ensure this is the correct application for you.

APPLY ONLINE

In addition to the online application, supplemental documents and plans may be required. Please access the link below detailing the supplemental items required for this application, in addition to the procedural details staff follow to process your application. All supplemental items must be emailed to a Planner after submitting the application online.

Variance, Appeals & Special Agreements - Filing Requirements & Procedure

If you need assistance with the online system, please use the reference guide below or contact us at 651-249-2312:

  1. Registering for an Account
  2. Submitting an Application