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Olivette board grants side-yard variance for 1000 Llewellyn Lane garage addition
Summary
The Olivette Board of Adjustment unanimously approved a request to allow a garage addition to sit 6 feet from the southwest property line, reducing the required 12-foot side-yard setback to 6 feet. The decision was 4-0; next step is review by the Planning and Community Design Commission.
The Olivette Board of Adjustment unanimously approved a side-yard setback variance on Feb. 13 to allow a garage addition at 1000 Llewellyn Lane to be built 6 feet from the southwest property line instead of the SR-district-required 12 feet.
City staff told the board the lot is legally nonconforming and unusually shaped; a standard two-car garage placed at the existing face would encroach on the required 12-foot setback. The board voted 4-0 to grant the variance dated in the applicant’s plans (02/07/2025). The approval requires the project to proceed through the city’s Planning and Community Design Commission for architectural review and permitting.
The petitioner, Pat Finley, told the board he had explored moving the garage rearward but said doing so would put the structure under the drip line of a large sycamore in the rear yard and destabilize a drainage path that flows across his lot. Finley also said a prior incident where a person rattled car door handles motivated the desire for an enclosed two-car garage.
City staff said the property (Lot 4 of the Llewellyn Lane Subdivision) meets SR zoning lot-area minimums but is nonconforming in depth and has a diagonal side-yard condition that restricts conventional expansion. Staff noted submitted exhibits for the record including a building permit application (Nov. 20, 2024), site and building plans by Killeen Studio Architects (dated 02/07/2025), the Board of Adjustment application (02/07/2025) and the affidavit of publication (01/29/2025).
During discussion board members acknowledged the narrowness and odd geometry of the lot, and members said the requested encroachment was modest relative to the site constraints. There was no public opposition on record and no callers from the public at the hearing. The roll call vote was recorded as Board member Jurgel — yes; Board member Cicero — yes; Board member Weber — yes; Chairman Gerstein — yes.
The approval allows the petitioner to submit required materials to the Planning and Community Design Commission; staff indicated the commission review could occur in April.
