Board approves setback reduction for industrial building addition at 4115 Thomas Drive SW

The Board of Adjustment voted to approve a major design exception allowing an industrial building at 4115 Thomas Drive Southwest to reduce its required front-yard setback from 35 feet to 17.5 feet so the owner can add about 6,250 square feet to an existing 58,000-square-foot structure. David Hogue, development services staff, presented the case and recommended approval. The board approved the change without recorded roll-call votes.

The addition is proposed on the northwest corner of the 4.2-acre lot and staff said the added space is needed to accommodate interior workflow and is constrained by existing utilities and grades on the eastern side of the building. Hogue told the board the request "is not inconsistent with adaptive plans" and that the design-exception route was appropriate rather than rezoning. He added that reducing a setback by up to 50% is allowed as a major design exception under the zoning ordinance.

Dan Schmidt of Breen Engineering, representing the applicant, said there was "not much to add. Dave has covered it fairly well," and explained the company has expanded the building twice before and would likely need to relocate if the expansion were denied. Schmidt said the proposed 30-ish-foot-wide addition would not work within the existing required setback.

Board members asked no substantive follow-up questions and no public objections were recorded. A board member moved to grant "feature design exception number 8DMD000464-2025," another member seconded, and the chair called the voice vote: "Aye," with no opposition voiced. The chair instructed the applicant to follow up with the building services department for next steps.

Why it matters: The exception allows the existing industrial operation to grow on its current site rather than relocate, and staff and the board judged the proposal compatible with surrounding industrial character.

Details and context: Staff noted the property is in a general industrial zone and that the planning commission previously recommended approval at its September meeting. The board’s approval was limited to the design exception; any required building permits or inspections remain subject to normal building services review and conditions.