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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZ-8628 Staff AnalysisJANUARY 31, 2011 ITEM NO.: 1 File No.: Z-8628 Owner: Cliff and Kristen Lee Applicant: Jim Yeary Address: 5300 Sherwood Road Description: Lots 133-135 and Lots 172-174, Prospect Terrace No. 2 Addition Zoned: R-2 Variance Requested: Variances are requested from the area provisions of Section 36- 254, the easement provisions of Section 36-11 and the area provisions of Section 36-156 to allow a garage addition with a reduced side setback and utility easement encroachment, and a pool house with a reduced setback from street frontage. 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. Building 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 Buildino Codes at 371-4832 for additional details. JANUARY 31, 2011 ITEM NO.: 1 (C C. Utility Comments: Little Rock Wastewater — No objection to easement encroachment. No sewer mains located on property. Central Arkansas Water — No objection to easement encroachment. No existing or planned facilities within existing easement. AT&T/SWB — No objection to easement encroachment Entergy — No objection to easement encroachment. No future need for this easement. CenterPoint Energy — No objection to easement encroachment. D. Staff Analysis: The R-2 zoned property at 5300 Sherwood Road is occupied by a two-story rock single family residence located within the south half of the property. The property is comprised of six (6) platted single family residential lots, with Sherwood Road located along the south property boundary, Edgewood Road along the north boundary and N. Harrison Street along the east property line. Driveways from Sherwood Road and Edgewood Road serve as access to the property and run along the west side of the residence. A garage structure is located near the northwest corner of the residence, with a pool house structure at the northwest corner of the garage. There is an existing swimming pool in the rear yard area, within the north half of the property. The rear yard area is enclosed with an existing rock wall. The lots contain a thirty (30) foot platted building line along the north and south property lines, and a fifteen (15) foot platted building line along the east street side property line. An eight (8) foot wide utility easement runs east/west through the center of the overall property. The applicant is proposing to remove the garage and pool house structures and construct a new garage addition at the northwest corner of the residence. The garage portion of the addition will have a two-story height, with a one-story heated/cooled connection to the existing house. The garage addition will be located approximately two (2) feet from the west side property line, over 130 feet back from the front (south) property line and 90 feet back from the rear (north) property line. The one-story connection between the garage addition and existing house will encroach across the existing utility easement. The applicant is also proposing to construct a one-story pool house within the rear yard area, as noted on the attached site plan. The pool house will be located thirty (30) feet back from the rear (north) property line and approximately thirty-four (34) feet back from the west side property line. The pool house will not encroach across the thirty (30) foot platted building line along the Edgewood Road frontage. JANUARY 31, 2011 ITEM NO.: 1 (CON'T. The applicant is requesting three (3) variances with the proposed additions to the property. The first variance is from Section 36-254(d)(2) of the City's Zoning Ordinance. This section requires a minimum side yard setback of eight (8) feet for this R-2 zoned lot. As noted above, the proposed garage addition will be located approximately two (2) feet from the west side property line. The second variance is from Section 36-11(f). This section requires that encroachments into utility easements be reviewed and approved by the Board of Adjustment. A small portion of the heated/cooled connection between the proposed garage addition and house will cross the utility easement. The final variance is from Section 36-156(a)(2)c. This section requires that on double frontage lots accessory buildings be set back at least sixty (60) feet from each street fronting property line. The proposed pool house structure will be located thirty (30) feet back from the rear (north), street fronting property line. Staff is supportive of the requested variances. Staff views the request as reasonable. As noted previously, the property is comprised of six (6) platted single family residential lots. The overall building construction as proposed will occupy a small percentage of the total lot area. The proposed side setback as proposed for the new garage addition should provide adequate separation between it and the nearest structure to the west. The proposed garage addition will maintain the same side setback as the existing accessory structure. As noted in paragraph C., all of the public utility companies support the proposed encroachment into the utility easement. With respect to the pool house structure, it will maintain a setback from the north property line similar to the single family houses to the west. It will have the appearance of aligning with those homes. Staff believes the proposed garage addition and pool house structure are appropriate for the site and will have no adverse impact on the adjacent properties or the general area. E. Staff Recommendati Staff recommends approval of the requested variances associated with the garage addition and pool house, subject to the following conditions: 1. Compliance with the Building Codes requirements as noted in paragraph B. of the staff report. 2. The garage addition and pool house must be constructed to match the existing house (similar/complimentary style and color). BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT: (JANUARY 31, 2011) Jim Yeary and Chuck Hamilton were present, representing the application. There was one (1) person present in opposition. Staff presented the application with a recommendation of approval. JANUARY 31, 2011 ITEM NO.: 1 (CON'T.) Jim Yeary addressed the Board in support of the application. He explained that the garage addition with heated/cooled connection to the house was needed for security purposes. Bill Coker addressed the Board in opposition. He expressed concern with the proposed side yard setback. He noted that the garage addition would block the view from his house to the northeast. There was a brief discussion of where Mr. Coker's house is in relation to the home in question. Vice -Chairman Smith explained that the proposed garage addition was adjacent to the lot north of Mr. Coker's lot, and not adjacent to Mr. Coker's lot. Mr. Yeary explained the construction of the proposed garage addition. These issues were discussed further. There was a motion to approve the application, as recommended by staff. The motion passed with a vote of 4 ayes, 0 nays, 0 absent and 1 open position. The application was approved.