HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-5951-A Staff AnalysisDecember 18, 1995
Itgm No. 1
File No Z -5951-A
Owner: Joe Calhoun
Address: 4424 South Lookout
Description: Lot 12 and the West 14 feet of
Lot 11, Block 11, Hillcrest Addition
Zoned: R-2
Variance Recruested: Variances are requested from the
height and area exceptions of
Section 36-156 to permit
construction of a two -car garage
(accessory building) with a reduced
side yard setback and which
occupies more than 30 percent of
the required rear yard.
justification: Applicant's Statement:
We plan to build the new garage
essentially straddling the
foundation of the existing garage.
Due to the angle of egress from the
alley adjacent the rear boundary of
the property, optimal access to the
new garage requires that it be built
in roughly the same alignment as the
existing garage.
The eastern wall of the existing
garage, which predates the zoning
ordinance, already encroaches on the
Setback Requirement. Repositioning
the east wall northward (toward the
rear and side boundaries of the
property) causes only minimal
further invasion into that Setback.
That northeast corner of the
property is a mere sliver of land
overgrown with weeds, and the
positioning of the property's gas
meter there otherwise renders it
virtually unusable.
My lot is fairly narrow, only about
58 feet wide. Therefore,
construction of a two car garage in
almost any position in the back yard
December 18, 1995
Item No..: 1 Cont.
Present Use of Prooerty:
Pro aced Clse of Pro ert :
Staf fReoort
A. Engineering issues:
will likely violate the Area
Requirement. Aside from failing to
accomplish any zoning goal, strict
compliance with the Setback
Requirement will actually make less
of the back yard usable; positioning
the new garage as far to the rear
and side as possible will truly
facilitate optimal use of the
greatest usable portion of the back
yard.
Granting the requested variance
should not disturb any neighbors.
The neighbor closest to the variance
point is the neighbor adjacent to
the Setback. Like the unusable
sliver of land at the northeast
corner of my property, the adjacent
corner of the adjoining property
also has extremely limited use.
That small strip of land along the
alley has no aesthetic value to my
neighbor or to the neighborhood;
that strip is part of the driveway
to the neighbor's detached garage,
which is constructed along an
alignment similar to my existing and
proposed garage.
Single -Family residence
Single -Family residence
Floodplain panel number on survey is incorrect. Contact
City Engineer's Office for information. Owners of property
are required by City Ordinance to maintain sidewalks and
curbs. There exists broken curb and sidewalks on the west
side of the property. Contract for repair with the proposed
construction.
H. Staff Anal sis•
The applicant proposes to remove an existing, one -car garage
and build in its place a new, two -car garage utilizing the
same 1.3 foot side yard setback as the existing garage. The
Ordinance requires accessory buildings to have a 3 foot side
yard setback. Approximately 492 square feet of the 576
square foot structure is located in the required rear yard
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December 18, 1995
Item No.: 1 (Cont.)
area. This is slightly more than the 450 square feet (30%)
allowed by the ordinance for this lot.
The applicant has made a considerable investment in
upgrading the property, including remodeling and expanding
the existing house. This addition was approved by the Board
on February 27, 1995.
The existing garage is in a state of disrepair and is out of
character with the applicant's intent to upgrade the site.
The proposed two -car garage will occupy less than 33 percent
of the required rear yard. This is a minor variance from
the 30 percent coverage limit established by the Ordinance.
This minor variance should have no effect on neighboring
properties.
The existing garage has a 1.3 foot side yard setback, a
little less than half of the 3 feet required by the
Ordinance. Although the proposed new garage is
substantially larger than the existing structure, the
proposed 1.3 foot setback represents only a minimal further
invasion into the required side yard setback. The accessory
building on the adjacent property is located on the east
side of that lot, providing more than adequate separation
between the two structures.
With certain conditions regarding the proposed structure,
staff is supportive of the request.
C. Staff Recommendation:
Staff recommends approval of the requested side yard setback
and area coverage variances subject to the following
conditions:
1. Compliance with the City Engineer's Comments
2. The pitch of the roof on the proposed structure is to
be so designed and guttering installed so that water
does not run off onto the adjacent property.
3. No portion of the building's eave or overhang may
extend beyond the property line.
BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT: (DECEMBER 18, 1995)
The applicant, Joe Calhoun, was present. There were no objectors
present. Staff presented the item and a recommendation of
approval, with conditions.
Mr. Calhoun stated that he understood and accepted staff's
recommendation.
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December 18, 1995
Item No.• Z nt.?
A motion was made to approve the requested side yard setback and
area coverage variances subject to compliance with the three
conditions outlined in the staff recommendation. The motion was
approved by a vote of 9 ayes, 0 noes and 0 absent.
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