Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-9723 -519 S Maple Street - BOA Staff Rpt-PLN-ADM008File No.: Z-9723 Owners: John Walter Norman III Applicant: Liraz Ben Zikri Address: 519 S Maple Legal Description: Lot 8. Block 11, Kimball and Bodeman Addition, to the City of Little Rock, Pulaski County Arkansas Zoned: R-3 Present Use: Single-family Residence (Vacant) Proposed Use: Single-family Residence Variance(s) Requested: A variance is requested from the area regulations of Sec. 36-255 to allow a reduced side yard setback in the R-3 district. . Justification: The applicant’s justification is presented as per the attached letter. STAFF REPORT Planning and Development Civil Engineering Comments: No Comments. B. Buffering and Landscape Comments: No Comments. C. Building Codes Comments: The required fire separation distance (building to property line) prescribed by the building code terminates at five (5) feet. Buildings are allowed to be closer than five 5) feet if they have properly constructed fire walls which provide the requisite one 1) hour fire resistance rating. When buildings are five (5) feet or more from the property line, the requirement no longer applies to the wall itself, only the projections such as eaves or overhangs. Openings such as doors and windows are limited when the exterior wall is three (3) feet from the property line, and are prohibited when the exterior wall is less than three (3) feet from the line. There is no restriction on openings when the exterior wall is more than three (3) feet from the property line. Contact the City of Little Rock Building Codes at 371-4832 for additional details. D. Staff Analysis: The R-3 zoned property located in south of Capital Avenue and east of UAMS Blvd. The adjacent and surrounding properties are occupied by smaller single-family frame residences constructed in the 1920’s, 30’s and 40’s. Most of the homes in this area remain in their original conditions with renovation and expansions trending throughout this older Kimball and Bodeman subdivision. The subject property is the second parcel on the east side of the street, south of the intersection of Capital Ave and Maple St. The site is bordered on the north and south, by single-family developments and can be accessed from an alley at the rear (east) of the property or from Maple St. The survey illustrates this preexisting non-conforming lot to be 46.80-feet in width and 131-feet in length. The site was originally developed as a single-family residence in 1920 with a 700 sq ft home that has remained unchanged since it was first constructed. The property was purchased by the applicant in 2020, is currently unoccupied, and being renovated. The survey indicates that the northwest corner of the house is located 3.6-feet from the side (north) property line and northeast corner of the house is located 3.3-feet from this same property line. The applicant is purposing an addition to the rear of the home which is indicated to extend the current footprint 16.5 feet to the east. The width of the home will remain the same at 28.3-feet. However, the alignment of the addition with the north side of the house will place the new northeast corner of the structure 3.1-feet from the side property line. Section 36-255(d)(3) Side yard, 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. “Therefore, the applicant is requesting a variance to extend the side yard encroaching primary structure to the east, further reducing the north setback to 3.1-feet at its narrowest point.” Staff is supportive of the requested variance associated with the proposed residential structure. The renovations to the home on this small lot will have little or no additional visual impact from that of the original residence that occupies the property. Staff views the side yard setback variance of this existing small space as minor compared with the buildable capacity available to the property owner. Many of the surrounding single-family homes were built on lots that would be non-conforming by today’s standards and have also been constructed in the setbacks as calculated by the current code. In Staff' s opinion, the proposed setback reduction of the addition will have no negative effect upon the health, safety, or welfare of the public, and will not detract from the value or aesthetic of the neighborhood or surrounding properties. E. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends approval of the requested side yard setback reduction to a minimum to 3.1-feet, as per the staff analysis and attached sketch / site plan, subject to the following. 1. A building permit being obtained for all construction. 2. Compliance with the Building Codes requirements as noted in paragraph C. of the staff report.