On July 24 the Board of Zoning Appeals granted a determinant-sidewalk variance (V-26-25) to All American Storage for 2401 and 2501 North Walnut, approving a 108-foot exception to the Transportation Plan pedestrian facility requirement and attaching a condition that a zoning commitment be recorded before any building permit is approved.

Assistant Director Jackie Scanlan presented the staff report and said the petition revisits a property the board considered previously. The applicant has already agreed to build the pedestrian facility for much of the frontage, Scanlan said, but the southern 108-foot segment is located in an area where 2-foot contour lines indicate a steep slope and guardrail. Engineering and long-range transportation staff reviewed newly provided topographic exhibits and recommended treating the whole problematic segment as a coordinated design instead of forcing the applicant to construct a short isolated portion that would later require substantial rework.

"That portion here, this 108 feet that they're requesting the variance for ... it was determined by the engineering department and, again, in consultation with long range transportation ... that it would probably make more sense to have that all designed as one piece," Scanlan said.

Petition representatives Don Kacharek of Smith Design Group and Sam Heel of All American Storage described steep slopes, loose boulders and a rock outcropping that make construction at that location costly and technically difficult. Heel said the applicant will build the remaining roughly 400 feet of required path but asked relief for the specific steep portion.

A motion to adopt staff findings and approve V-26-25 carried 5-0. The motion included the condition that a zoning commitment for the determinant-sidewalk variance be recorded and submitted prior to issuance of any building permit for the new storage building. The roll call was: Throckmorton — yes; Ballard — yes; Burrell — yes; Fernandez — yes; Kacinko — yes.

Scanlan told the board the transportation plan still identifies the full connection as a long-range objective and that the city likely remains responsible for the intervening public right-of-way between the applicant’s frontage and the next private property. The board commended staff for the engineering review requested at the prior hearing and for coordinating across departments.

The petitioner will proceed with the conditioned approval and must record the zoning commitment prior to permit issuance.