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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-9534 BOA Staff ReportOCTOBER 15, 2020 ITEM NO. 5 Z-9534 1 File No.: Z-9534 Owner: Haybar Properties, LLC Applicant: Doug Woodall, submitted by McGetrick and McGetrick, Inc. Address: 1809 East 3rd Street Description: The East 27 feet of Lot 3, 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 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. 5 (CON’T.) Z-9534 2 C. Staff Analysis: This R-4 zoned property is a 27’ wide by 150’ deep vacant “lot of record.” Immediately to the east and west are similarly undeveloped properties, also zoned R-4, as are most of the nearby properties south of E. 3rd Street. Across E. 3rd Street to the north is City of Little Rock property zoned PCD. A range of mostly residential development activity is taking place in the general area. The applicant proposes to construct a 23.0’ wide by 62.4’ 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’, and a reduction of both side yard setbacks from 2.7’ to 2.0’. 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.” The 150’-deep subject lot has adequate depth to accommodate a full 25’ front setback. However, nearby 1801, 1803 and 1805 E. 3rd Street consist of unusually shallow lots and will likely feature reduced front yard setbacks (in fact, such a reduction for 1801 and 1803 have been applied for.) In anticipation of such reductions, allowing reduced front yards for the 1809 E. 3rd will promote consistency along the street frontage. 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. Consequently, all five lots comprising 1801 through 1809 E. 3rd Street may warrant reduced setbacks at such time they are developed. The driveway distance from the adjacent property line (extended,) may be reduced to 2’ 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.