HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-5928 Staff AnalysisDecember 27, 1994
File No.: Z-5928
pwner: Dale and Jane Briggs
Address: 5423 Country Club Road
Description: Lot 7, Block 20, Newton's Addition
Zoned: R-2
Variance Reauested: A variance is requested from the
area regulations of Section 36-254
to permit construction of a new,
single-family residential dwelling
with a reduced front yard setback
of 17.4 feet and a reduced side
yard setback of 4.75 feet. The
ordinance requires a front yard
setback of 25 feet and a side yard
setback of 5 feet.
variances are also requested to
allow for the construction of an
accessory structure with a reduced
street side yard setback of 5 feet
and which occupies 31% of the
required rear yard. The ordinance
requires accessory structures to
maintain a street side yard setback
of at least 15 feet and limits
their coverage to 30% of the
required rear yard.
Justification: Applicant's Statement: Upon
purchasing the property at
5423 Country club, we discussed
renovation and expansion with an
architect and a builder. We found
that structural limitations plus
deterioration and water damage in
both the house and garage made
remodeling undesirable. We then
began to develop a plan to construct
a new home ori the property. After a
good deal of frustration, we came
upon a set of plans commissioned by
Life Magazine for an aesthetic,
architecturally designed house for
middle America. We purchased the
plans and were happy with them with
minor changes. We will be able to
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December'27, 1994
Item No.: 7 (Cont.
build in handicapped access as we
plan to make this our final home.
Our request for variances is
basically for three reasons:
1. To adapt to the scale and
ambiance of the neighborhood
and preserve the four major
trees on the property,
especially, the 30 -inch
diameter oak in the back yard
which shades the major portion
of the back yard as well as
our neighbor's yard to the
east.
2. To utilize the Robert Stern
plan without major structural
revision.
3. To build an auxiliary building
for boat storage and a small
wood -working shop.
The side yard variance will allow
the house to fit the lot without
major redesign downstairs or
upstairs.
The front setback variance serves
two purposes. It keeps the front
of the house at the same setback as
the house next door. It appears
that all of the houses on the south
side of the 5400 block of Country
Club are set back about the same.
Secondly, it keeps the house as far
as possible away from the 30 -inch
oak tree while providing room for
the auxiliary structure and
driveway.
It is our desire to build a home
that blends into the neighborhood
as unobtrusively as possible. we
have spent considerable time
driving around the city studying
the architecture of houses built in
the 1920s and 1930s and will
attempt, with professional help, to
be a new neighbor with a sixty
year-old attitude.
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December 27, 1994
Item No.:_ 7 _ __ (Cont.)
Present Use of Property:
Proposed Use of Property:
Staff Repgrt :
A. Engineering Issues:
None
B. Staff Analysis:
Single-family residential
Single-family residential
The applicant proposes to remove the existing, single -story
residence at 5423 Country Club Blvd. and build in its place,
a new, two-story residence. After determining that
remodeling and expanding the existing structure was not
feasible, the applicants chose to build a new structure
instead.
To place the structure on the property as the applicants
propose requires both front yard and side yard setback
variances. The structure could be placed in such a manner
as to achieve the required 25 foot front yard setback but
this would require the removal of a 30 inch diameter oak
tree. The reduced front yard setback of 17.4 feet is
greater than that of the existing home and would place the
new home on a line similar to all of the other homes on this
side of the block.
In addition, the house fronts onto Country Club Blvd. which
has an 80 foot right-of-way. This means the front of the
house will actually set back more than 40 feet from the curb
line of the street, greatly reducing the visible impact of
the reduced front yard setback.
The reduced side yard setback of 4.75 feet is just inches
less than the 5 feet required and again this reduction is
not noticeable due to Polk Street having an 80 foot right-
of-way.
ight-
of-way.
The accessory building is proposed to have a street side
yard setback of 5 feet. The ordinance requires a 15 foot
street side yard setback. This provision was placed in the
ordinance primarily to provide a safe area for vehicles to
back out of detached garages before entering the street.
Due to the 80 foot right-of-way for Polk Street, the
proposed accessory structure will actually set back 30 feet
from the curb line of the street.
The accessory building occupies 9 square feet more of the
required rear yard then the ordinance allows. This minimal
variance will have no effect on adjacent properties.
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December 27, 1994
Item No.: 7 (Cont.) ---
Staff feels that the proposal is reasonable and supports all
requested variances.
C. Staff Recommendation:
Staff recommends approval of the requested front yard and
side yard setback variances for the proposed single family
residence and of the requested street side yard setback and
area coverage variances for the proposed accessory
structure.
BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT: (DECEMBER 27, 1994)
The applicant, Dale Briggs, was present. There were no objectors
present. Staff presented the item and a recommendation of
approval.
Ellen Yeary, an architect working with the Briggs, addressed the
Board and stated that she had no additional comments to offer.
A motion was made to approve the requested front yard and side
yard setback variances for the proposed single family residence
and the requested street side yard setback and area coverage
variances for the proposed accessory structure. The motion was
approved by a vote of 7 ayes, 0 noes, 1 absent and 1 open
position.
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