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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-9533 BOA Staff ReportOCTOBER 15, 2020 ITEM NO. 4 Z-9533 1 File No.: Z-9533 Owner: Welcome Home Enterprises, Inc. Applicant: Doug Woodall, submitted by McGetrick and McGetrick, Inc. Address: 1801 East 3rd Street Description: The West 32.5 feet of the North 76 feet of Lot 1, Block 4, Garland’s Addition to the City of Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas. Zoned: R-4 Variance Requested: A variance is requested from “Area” provisions of Sections 36- 256 to allow reduced front, rear and side yard setbacks in an R- 4 District. Justification: The applicant’s justification is presented in an attached letter. Present Use: Vacant/undeveloped Proposed Use: Single-Family Residential STAFF REPORT A. Planning and Development Civil Engineering Comments: Per Sec. 30-43(a)(2), no driveway shall be constructed within 5 ft of a line drawn from the point of intersection of a property line with the right-of-way line of a street and perpendicular to the centerline of the street. Note: Planning and Development Civil Engineering has indicated support for a reduced distance, to match the request for a reduced side yard setback, if approved. Contact Ilona Rossato (501)371-3470. B. Building Inspection Comments: Required fire separation distance (building to property line) prescribed by the building code terminates at 5’. Buildings may be closer than 5’ if they have fire walls providing the requisite one-hour fire resistance rating. When buildings are 5’ or more from a property line, this requirement no longer applies to the wall itself, only the projections such as eaves and overhangs. Door and window openings are restricted when an exterior wall is 3’ from the property line and prohibited when an exterior wall is less than 3’ from the line. No opening restriction applies when an exterior wall is more than 3’ from the property line. Contact City of Little Rock Building Permitting, 371-4832, for additional details. OCTOBER 15, 2020 ITEM NO. 4 (CON’T.) Z-9533 2 C. Staff Analysis: This R-4 zoned property is a 32.5’ wide by 76’ deep vacant “lot of record.” To the east are similarly undeveloped properties, also zoned R-4, as are most of the nearby properties south of E. 3rd Street. Across Bender Street to the west is Macedonia Baptist Church. Across E. 3rd Street to the north are properties zoned PCD and I-2. A range of mostly residential development activity is taking place in the general area. The applicant proposes to construct a 26’ wide by 41’ deep two-story single-family home on the site, with an integral two-car garage. In doing so, the applicant requests a front yard setback reduction from 25’ to 20’, a reduction of both side yard setbacks from 3.25’ to 3’, and reduction of the rear yard from 25’ to 15’. Section 36-256(d)(1) states, “There shall be a front yard setback having a depth of not less than twenty-five (25) feet.” Section 36-256(d)(2) states, “There shall be a side yard on each side of the building having a width of not less than ten (10) percent of the average width of the lot, not to exceed five (5) feet.” Section 36- 256(d)(3) states, “There shall be a rear yard having a depth of not less than twenty- five (25) feet.” The 76’-deep subject lot, like the two lots immediately east, is unusually shallow. Reduced front and rear yards would promote construction of a contemporary, conventional single-family residence comparable to other existing and proposed structures in this neighborhood. In fact, identical front and rear yard reductions have been applied for on 1803 E. 3rd (immediately east) and a front yard reduction for 1809 has been applied for, as well. In anticipation of these reductions, allowing reduced front and rear yards for the 1801 E. 3rd will promote consistency within this developing area. Of the eight lots on the south side of the 1800 block of E. 3rd Street, five of them are unusually narrow lots of record. Therefore, the standard of development is generally established for a narrower type of residential structure in this location. It is likely all five lots comprising 1801 through 1809 E. 3rd Street will warrant reduced setbacks at such time they are developed. The driveway distance from the adjacent property line (extended,) may be reduced to 3’ to match the reduced setback of the residence itself and is, in staff’s opinion, an appropriate allowance. In any case, the driveway curb return radius or chamfer may not extend beyond the adjacent side property line (extended.) See Planning and Development Civil Engineering Comments, above. D. Staff Recommendation: In view of the above analysis, staff recommends approval of the requested variances, in accordance with the attached site sketch and with the following condition: Due to the reduced widths, no HVAC unit or similar device may be placed in the side yards.