Webster Groves board approves variance for new garage at 227 Gray Avenue

The Webster Groves Board of Adjustment on a motion approved a variance allowing Daniel and Teresa Goldkamp to build a new two-car garage at 227 Gray Avenue closer to the side and rear property lines than the zoning code normally permits.

City planning director Elliot Leibson told the board the applicants requested two setback variances — each a three-foot reduction from the required five-foot setback — so the new garage can be built at the rear corner of the lot after an addition on the other side of the house eliminates the existing driveway. "They are requesting a variance of 3 feet," Leibson said during his presentation.

The board’s approval came after the Goldkamps described practical limitations on the site. Applicant Daniel Goldkamp said the existing one-car garage is about 14½ feet inside and cannot accommodate either of the household’s two vehicles. "We have 2 vehicles, neither 1 of them would fit in there," Goldkamp said, describing why the family wants a larger, two-car garage on the opposite rear corner of the lot.

Members questioned whether other placements or configurations could avoid a variance and pressed about drainage and neighbor impacts. Board members and staff noted the lot is substandard for the A2 (15,000-square-foot) district; Leibson and members observed the parcel measures about 7,920 square feet and the house sits farther back on the lot than adjacent houses, which reduces backyard buildable area. One board member described the lot size and the house’s setback from the street as contributing practical difficulties that supported granting relief.

After board discussion the members moved to approve docket 24-28. The motion passed with the required affirmative votes from the four members present. The board chair instructed the applicants to "see city staff during regular business hours for your next steps." The board indicated standard building-permit and inspection conditions remain in effect.

Why it matters: The decision lets the property owners replace a substandard one-car garage with a two-car structure to meet household needs; it also reduces setback protection for neighbors at this corner of Webster Groves’ A2 residential district. The board tied its finding to the lot’s small size and the house’s placement on the parcel rather than to a condition created by recent work.

Additional details: The applicant said the new garage orientation was selected to allow vehicle maneuvering without extensive paving through the backyard; Goldkamp said if needed air‑conditioning equipment would be relocated. Board members asked for and received confirmation that the proposed garage size itself did not require an additional variance.

Votes at a glance: Docket 24-28 (227 Gray Avenue) — Motion to approve the variance: passed by the four members present; outcome: approved. The board directed the applicants to coordinate next steps with city planning staff.