HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-8423 Staff AnalysisJANUARY 26, 2009
ITEM NO.: 4
File No.: Z-8423
Owner: Rick Fleetwood
Applicant: Ron Head
Address: 1821 N. Beechwood Street
Description: East side of Beechwood Street, north of Cantrell Road
Zoned: R-2
Variance Requested: A variance is requested from the easement provisions of
Section 36-11 to allow a building addition which encroaches into a utility easement.
Justification: The applicant's justification is presented in an attached letter.
Present Use of Property: Single Family Residential
Proposed Use of Property: Single Family Residential
STAFF REPORT
A. Public Works Issues:
No Comments
B. Utility Comments:
Little Rock Wastewater — Little Rock Wastewater will agree to the variance
request when the following conditions are met:
■ Plans for Relocation of the existing sewer main have been submitted to
LRW according to LRW's Specifications.
■ Upon Approval of the plans the sewer main will be relocated as shown on
the approved plans.
• All final paperwork has been submitted to LRW as required in LRW's
Specification including an easement for the relocated sewer main.
• LRW Accepts the Relocation as part of the LRW System and an
acceptance letter is issued.
JANUARY 26, 2009
ITEM NO.: 4 [CON'T.
LRW cannot approve this variance until the project is complete and an
acceptance letter has been issued. Any construction work over the existing
line prior to that time could cause damage to the existing sewer main.
Central Arkansas Water — No objection to easement encroachment.
Center Point Energy — No objection to easement encroachment.
Entergy — No objection to easement encroachment.
AT&T — No objection to easement encroachment.
C. Staff Analysis:
The R-2 zoned property at 1821 N. Beechwood Street is occupied by a three-
story brick single family residence. The property slopes downward from front
to back (west to east), with the residence being three (3) stories on the rear.
There is a one -car wide driveway from Beechwood Street which serves as
access to the property. There is a concrete parking pad at the northwest
corner of the residence.
The applicant proposes to construct a one-story garage addition at the
northwest corner of the residence, over a portion of the existing parking pad,
as noted on the attached site plan. The proposed garage addition will be 22
feet by 30 feet in area. It will be located approximately 43 feet back from the
front (west) property line and 10 to 12 feet back from the north side property
line. The proposed garage addition will extend approximately three (3) feet
into a utility easement which runs along the north side property line. The
applicant has also noted that the sidewalk (steps) located in the front yard area
will be removed, and that the existing driveway from Beechwood Street will be
widened slightly to the north with the proposed garage project.
Section 36-11(f) of the City's Zoning Ordinance requires that any building
encroachments into utility easements be reviewed and approved by the Board
of Adjustment. Therefore, the applicant is requesting a variance to allow the
easement encroachment. The proposed garage addition exceeds the
minimum ordinance required setbacks from property lines.
Staff is supportive of the requested easement encroachment variance. As
noted in paragraph B. of the Staff Report, all of the utility companies agree to
the proposed easement encroachment, with the exception of Little Rock
Wastewater. Little Rock Wastewater notes agreement with the easement
encroachment only when certain conditions have been met by the applicant,
as noted in paragraph B. Staff's support of the easement encroachment is
based on the Little Rock Wastewater's condition being met as noted in
paragraph B., prior to a building permit being issued for the garage addition.
Otherwise, staff feels the proposed garage addition will have no adverse
impact on the adjacent properties or the general area.
JANUARY 26, 2009
ITEM NO.: 4 (CON'T.)
D. Staff Recommendation:
Staff recommends approval of the requested easement variance, subject to
the following conditions:
1. No building permit will be issued for the garage addition until the existing
sewer main has been relocated and an acceptance letter has been issued
by Little Rock Wastewater and submitted to staff.
2. The garage addition must match the existing residence.
BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT: (JANUARY 26, 2009)
The applicant was present. There were no objectors present. Staff presented the
item and a recommendation of approval.
The applicant offered no additional comments.
The item was placed on the Consent Agenda and approved as recommended by
staff with a vote of 5 ayes and 0 nays.