Board denies front-stair variance at elevated home on 535 80th Avenue

The Board of Adjustment denied a practical-difficulty variance seeking to allow a switchback exterior stair and landing to encroach to 8 feet, 4 inches from the front property line at an elevated single-family residence at 535 80th Avenue.

Planner Brandon Berry explained the property is being elevated in place and already includes interior access to the living level via an elevator and interior stairs as part of the approved permit. The owner now seeks an additional exterior front stair for redundancy and egress; staff’s review noted the proposed switchback stair appeared to be the minimum width for that design but also invited testimony on whether a single-run offset stair or an inset stair could meet code with less encroachment.

Builder-designer Tal Verpaine, speaking for the owners, said the project reuses substantial portions of the existing lower level (slab, block, some openings) and that adding the exterior switchback stair preserves an upstairs entry and the balcony aesthetic while keeping interior floor area intact. He said lifting in place and reusing the lower level reduced costs and preserved the pool and lanai.

Board members observed that the property already has interior means of egress (stairs and an elevator) and that an exterior stair would be an additional, nonessential encroachment into a narrow front-yard area where neighboring houses have consistent setbacks. A motion to deny the variance carried 4–1 (Member Kore dissenting). The board’s denial leaves the applicant the option to submit an alternative design with a lesser encroachment (for example, a single-run stair offset to one side or an inset stair) if they wish to pursue an exterior front entry.

Staff emphasized that elevating in place and converting a ground level to parking/storage is treated similarly to in-place elevation under local code and that ceiling-height and footprint limits apply when converting the ground floor and building above.