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Zoning board grants variance to build two‑family home on narrow Plot 34 Provost Street
Summary
The Breckton Zoning Board of Appeals approved a variance allowing construction of a two‑family dwelling on a long, narrow lot at Plot 34 Provost Street, citing the lot's shape, existing easement and historical assessment as hardships.
Chairperson Kenneth Galligan opened petition 2747 seeking relief to build a two‑family house at Plot 34 Provost Street. Attorney Chris Vail, representing the petitioner, asked the board for a variance from city ordinance sections cited by the application to permit a two‑family dwelling on the lot.
The request seeks relief from minimum lot frontage, lot area and lot width requirements to construct a two‑family home in an R‑2 zone. Vail told the board the lot has 60 feet of frontage and 8,718 square feet of land, is long and narrow, and abuts a city sewer and drain easement that takes approximately 20 feet of frontage and 2,857 square feet that cannot be built upon. He said the proposed house would meet the city's minimum front, side and rear setbacks and provide internal stairways and parking via two separate driveways.
The application cites the lot’s unique size and shape, the adjoining unusable easement and the lot’s long history of being assessed and taxed as a separate buildable parcel as the hardships that justify relief. The petitioner provided site plans showing the proposed long, narrow house and access points.
No members of the public spoke for or against the petition during public comment. After board discussion, a motion to grant the variance was made and seconded. The clerk called the roll: Miss Delaney, Fire Chief Brian Nadelli, Member James Sweeney, Member Monique Screenberry and Chair Kenneth Galligan all voted yes. The board announced the petition was granted.
Because the board’s action is a variance, the approval relieves the lot from the specified dimensional requirements only to the extent granted; the approved plans must comply with all other applicable city codes and construction ordinances.
The petitioner and project team may now proceed with the permitting steps that follow a zoning variance approval.
