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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes for Z-10141APRIL 17, 2025 ITEM NO.: 1 Z-10141 1 File No.: Z-10141 Owners: Clay and Lauren Cannon Applicant: Clay and Lauren Cannon Address: 1609 Blair Street Legal Description: Lot 6, Block 5, McGehee’s Addition to the City of Little Rock, Pulaski County Current Zoning: R-2 Present Use: Single Family Residential Proposed Use: Single Family Residential Variance(s) Requested: A variance is requested from the area provisions of Section 36-254 to allow a reduced front yard setback in an R-2 zoning. A variance is requested from the area provision of Section 36- 156 to permit more than 30% coverage of the rear yard for an accessory structure. Justification: The applicant’s justification is presented in an attached letter. STAFF REPORT: A. Planning and Development Civil Engineering Comments: 1. Storage building and south side of residence is too close to the side yard setback. 2. Show complete drive for the carport as you are limited to driveway width of 21.4 feet. B. Landscape and Buffer Comments: In October 2020 the City adopted the “Heights Landscape Design Overlay District,” requiring installation of one tree per 40 linear feet of street frontage within the Heights District Boundary, applicable to [among other types] residential construction in excess of 600 square feet. C. Building Codes Comments: As per 2021 Arkansas Fire Prevention Code Volume III R302.1(1) Single Family Dwellings have the following requirements when dealing with Dwellings that are closer than 7’ from the property line: APRIL 17, 2025 ITEM NO.: 1 Z-10141 2 1. If the soffit assembly extends inside of 5’ from the property line, it must be constructed with fire treated materials. 5/8” Type “X” Drywall, stucco, fire treated plywood or some other fire treated material on underside of the soffit, fire treated fascia, elimination of soffit vents and gable vents and crawl space vents on the affected portion of the wall. Note: Vents must be relocated to ensure proper venting of the attic space. Exceptions to this are to fire block this section of the exterior wall from the top plate to the underside of the roof decking and to fire caulk the blocking at all joints. D. Analysis: The property located at 1609 Blair Street is currently occupied by a one-story single- family residence within the Heights Design Overlay District. The survey shows a lot width of 53.52 feet and a depth of 145.3 feet. The residence is centrally located on the lot with an existing carport in the rear with an alley. The applicant is proposing to repair and add structural support to the front porch of the home. The existing porch foundation is already in the front yard setback and there will be no enlarging of the foundation itself. The existing front porch is in need of repair and reconstruction due to years of weather, damage and rot. The applicant is proposing reconstruction of the porch and to extend the roofline of the porch to cover the entire existing porch foundation. The applicant is requesting to add two more columns for additional support, which would make four columns on the front of the porch. The roof will have a pitch of 12/12. The site plan indicates that the applicant proposes to construct a new carport/storage accessory structure in the rear yard area. This new 696 square foot structure is proposed to be located 6.4 feet from the residence, 3 feet from the north property line, 11.7 feet from the east property and approximately 16 feet from the south property line. The survey indicates that the new carport will occupy 38 percent of the rear yard area. Section 36-156(2)(c) states ““Accessory buildings or structures in the R-1 through R- 4A districts shall not be located closer than sixty (60) feet to the front property line, fifteen (15) feet from a street sideline and may not occupy more than thirty (30) percent of the required rear yard area”. Therefore, the applicant is requesting a variance to allow an accessory structure to occupy greater than thirty (30) percent of the rear yard area. Section 36-254(d)(1) states “There shall be a front yard setback having a depth of not less than twenty-five (25) feet.” The new porch will be 17.6-feet from the front property line. Therefore, the applicant is requesting a variance to allow the front yard setback to be reduced to no less than 17 feet. APRIL 17, 2025 ITEM NO.: 1 Z-10141 3 Based on the above assessment and analysis, Staff finds the requested variances to be reasonable. Staff is supportive of the requested variance to enlarge the width of the existing porch roof without changing the footprint of the porch foundation and new accessory structure in rear yard area. E. Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends approval of the requested variances to allow the expansion of the porch coverage into the front setback and area coverage of the rear yard accessory structure, subject to the following conditions: 1. Obtain a building permit prior to construction. 2. Install trees, if deemed applicable at the time of building permit, in accordance with the Heights Design Overlay District requirements. Board of Adjustment (APRIL 17, 2025) The applicant was present. There were no objectors present. Staff presented the application to the Board and stated it recommended the front yard setback variance be approved as per staff report. There was a consent motion to approve the application. The motion was seconded. The application was approved on consent. The vote was 4 ayes, 0 nays, and 1 open position.