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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-8621 Staff AnalysisDECEMBER 20, 2010 ITEM NO.: 4 File No.: Z-8621 Owner: Scott and Meredith Beau Applicant: Rodney Parham Address: 5608 Hawthorne Road Description: Lot 18 BRR, Forest Heights Place Addition Zoned: R-2 Variance Requested: Variances are requested from the area provisions of Section 36- 156 to allow construction of a pool and pool house with reduced side and rear setbacks and with an increased rear yard coverage. 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: Encroachments to the City of Little Rock's right-of-way is prohibited. Public Works does not recommend approval for this application, as long as the pool equipment is located in the right-of-way. B. Buildinq 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. DECEMBER 20, 2010 ITEM NO.: 4 (CON'T C. Staff Analvsis: The R-2 zoned property at 5608 Hawthorne Road is occupied by a two-story rock and frame single family residence. The property is located on the north side of Hawthorne Road and backs up to "V" Street (north property boundary). There is a circular driveway from Hawthorne Street within the front yard area. A one -car wide driveway, extending to a two -car width, is located at the northwest corner of the property from "V" Street. The driveway leads to a garage at the rear of the residence. There is a retaining wall near the rear (north) property line. The northeast portion of the rear yard area is located four (4) to five (5) feet above the grade of "V" Street. The applicant proposes to construct a pool and pool house with overhang within the rear yard at the northeast corner of the property, as noted on the attached site plan. The pool house will be 10 feet by 18 feet in area and located on the east side of the pool. The overhang portion will extend over the pool to near the garage portion of the residence. The overall structure will be approximately 20 feet by 30 feet in size. The proposed pool, pool house and overhang will occupy approximately 624 square feet (41 percent) of the required rear yard area (rear 25 feet of the lot). The pool house/overhang structure will be located two (2) feet back from the rear (north) property and 2'-4" from the east side property line. The overhang structure will be located approximately three (3) feet from the house. The remainder of the rear yard area, south of the proposed pool/pool house, will be landscaped, including pavers, planters and a covered grill area. The pool equipment associated with this project is proposed to be located on the north side of the rear (north) property line, within the "V" street right-of-way. The applicant is requesting four (4) variances with the proposed pool/pool house project. The first variance is from Section 36-156(a)(2)c. of the City's Zoning Ordinance. This section requires a minimum rear (north) setback of 60 feet for accessory buildings on double -frontage lots. The proposed pool house/overhang structure is located two (2) feet from the rear (north) property line. The second variance is also from Section 36-156(a)(2)c. This section also allows a maximum rear yard coverage of 30 percent for accessory structures. The proposed rear yard coverage is 41 percent. The third variance is from Section 36-156(a)(2)f. This section requires a minimum side setback of three (3) feet for accessory buildings. The proposed pool house/overhang structure will have an east side setback of 2'-4". The final variance is from Section 36-156(a)(2)b. This section requires that accessory structures be separated by at least six (6) feet from principal structures. The proposed pool overhang structure will be located approximately three (3) feet from the principal structure. Staff is supportive of the requested setback, coverage and separation variances, with one (1) exception. Staff, including Public Works does not support placement DECEMBER 20, 2010 ITEM NO.: 4 CON'T. of the pool equipment in the "V" Street right-of-way. The proposed rear yard coverage, accessory building setbacks and building separation are not out of character with other structures and properties in the Heights neighborhood area. "V" Street essentially functions as a alley right-of-way and has been treated as such by staff and the Board of Adjustment in addressing past building variance issues for other properties which back up to the right-of-way. Staff believes construction of the pool, pool house and overhang structure will have no adverse impact on the adjacent properties or the general area. However, if the applicant cannot make the project work without locating the pool equipment in the " V" Street right-of-way, staff feels that the project may be too intense for the rear yard area of the lot. If the applicant were willing to relocate the pool equipment out of the "V" Street right-of-way, staff could support the project, with the following conditions: 1. Compliance with the Building Codes requirements as noted in paragraph B. of the staff report. 2. The north, south and west sides of the pool overhang structure must remain unenclosed. D. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends denial of the requested variances, as filed. BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT: (DECEMBER 20, 2010) The applicant was present. There were no objectors present. Staff presented the application noting that the applicant had revised the application to remove the pool equipment from the "V" Street right-of-way and locate on the west side of the house. Staff recommended approval of the revised application, subject to the following conditions: 1. Compliance with the Building Codes requirements as noted in paragraph B. of the staff report. 2. The north, south and west sides of the pool overhang structure must remain unenclosed. The item was placed on the Consent Agenda and approved, as revised and recommended by staff, with a vote of 3 ayes, 0 noes, 1 absent and 1 open position.