A. The planning commission may recommend, and the city council may approve a variance from the minimum standards of this title (not procedural provisions) when, in its opinion, undue hardship may result from strict compliance.
B. In recommending any variance, the planning commission shall prescribe and the city council shall impose any conditions that it deems necessary to or desirable for the public interest.
C. The planning commission shall not recommend and the city council shall not approve any variance request unless they find failure to grant the variance will result in unusual hardship. "Unusual hardship" means that the property owner proposes to use the property in a reasonable manner not permitted by this title. Economic considerations alone do not constitute unusual hardship. Unusual hardship includes, but is not limited to, inadequate access to direct sunlight for solar energy systems. The following criteria must also be met:
1. That the variance would be consistent with the comprehensive plan.
2. That the variance would be in harmony with the general purposes and intent of this title.
3. That the plight of the landowner is due to circumstances unique to the property not created by the landowner.
4. That the purpose of the variance is not exclusively economic considerations.
5. That the granting of the variance will not alter the essential character of the neighborhood in which the parcel of land is located.
6. That the requested variance is the minimum action required to eliminate the unusual hardship. (Ord. 936, 3-16-2015)