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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-6435 Staff AnalysisDecember 22, 1997 Item No. File No. Owner- Address• Description• Zoned• Variance Requested: Justification: Present Use of Property: Proposed Use of Property: Staff Report• A. Public Works Issues: No issues. B. Staff Analysis: Z-6435 Gerald and Barbara Barnett 2420 Country Club Lane Lots 9 and 10, Block 11, Country Club Heights �a A variance is requested from the area regulations of Section 36-254 to permit construction of a new residence with a reduced rear yard setback. The existing home is in need of repairs that would cost more than building a new home. The reduced setback is needed to allow for the size house needed and still maintain the existing front yard setback which is in line with other homes on the street. Single Family residence; to be removed New Single Family residence The R-2 zoned property at 2420 Country Club Lane is currently occupied by an older, two-story brick and frame single-family residence. The applicants propose to remove this structure and build in its place a new two-story single-family home. The proposed house will have a rear yard setback of 2 feet. The code requires a minimum rear yard setback of 25 feet. The applicants desire that the new home maintain the 37-38 foot front yard setback that the existing house now has. This expanded setback is typical of the other homes in the block. Pushing the house to the rear to allow for the December 22, 1997 Item No.: 8 (Cont_ larger front yard setback creates the need for the variance. The design of the house proposed for placement on the lot has a two -car garage and golf cart garage in the rear. It is these garage elements that encroach into the required rear yard setback. There is a platted but undeveloped 10 foot alley right-of-way to the rear which does provide some additional separation from the property to the west. Staff does not believe the variance request is warranted. This is a large residential lot (140 feet by 100 feet) and staff believes there are alternatives available other than the requested extremely reduced rear yard. The house itself could in fact be moved forward to the 25 foot front yard setback line, providing a rear yard of 14-15 feet. The golf car garage on the rear of the two car garage could be relocated to the north side of the garage, leaving a rear yard setback of 12 feet. Either of these alternatives result in a more acceptable rear yard setback than the 2 feet requested by the applicant. C. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends denial of the requested rear yard setback variance. BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT: (DECEMBER 22, 1997) Jack Hartsell and Gerald Barnett were present representing the application. There were no objectors present. Staff presented the item and a recommendation of denial. Mr. Barnett addressed the Board in support of the variance request. He noted that the alley right-of-way provided an additional 5 feet of setback. Mr. Barnett stated that all of the neighbors supported his request. He noted that several other houses in the vicinity have a similar rear yard setback to that which he proposed. Mr. Barnett presented an architect's drawing of the proposed house and noted that the golf cart garage was only one story in height, with a "lean-to" type roof. He noted that the encroachment involved only a very small portion of the large rear yard area. Mr. Barnett stated that moving the golf cart garage to the north side of the structure, as suggested by staff, would take up usable yard space. He stated that he had opted to move the house back from the front property line in order to fit in with other houses on the street. In response to a question from the Board, Mr. Barnett stated that there was a fence running down the middle of the alley, giving the appearance of more rear yard area. Chairman Alderfer asked if staff's recommendation would change if the alley right-of-way was abandoned. Dana Carney, of the Planning Staff, stated that staff's recommendation was made Ka December 22, 1997 em No.: 8 (Cont. knowing that the alley right-of-way provided additional setback and separation. Jim Eubanks, project architect, discussed the appearance of the structure. He stated that the overhang on the rear of the golf cart garage would be limited to 6 inches. Brandon Rogers asked how much separation there would be between this house and structures on the lot to the rear. The applicant responded that there would be approximately 14 feet between the two structures. Chairman Alderfer asked the applicant if there were any alternatives to what he was proposing. Mr. Barnett responded that the house could be moved forward on the lot but that he would prefer to leave it as proposed. He noted again that none of the neighbors objected to the proposal. A motion was made to approve the rear yard setback variance as proposed by the applicant. The motion was approved by a vote of 5 ayes, 1 noe, 1 absent and 2 open positions. KI