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Sunbury BZA approves 20-foot setback for garage at 12 North Morning Street
Summary
The Sunbury Board of Zoning Appeals approved a variance reducing the rear-yard building setback at 12 North Morning Street from 40 feet to 20 feet to allow construction of a garage; the board cited site topography and lot constraints and heard one neighbor in support.
The Sunbury Board of Zoning Appeals on March 17 approved a variance reducing the required rear-yard building setback for 12 North Morning Street from 40 feet to 20 feet to permit construction of a garage on a corner lot.
The board accepted the application after staff said the proposal meets zoning requirements aside from the setback and noted the applicant previously proposed a more-extreme reduction in hearings last November and December. Vic Whitney, legal counsel for the board, entered the application materials, public notice and staff report into the record.
Applicant Jesse Dye, who owns the brick Victorian house at 12 North Morning Street, told the board “we are seeking an easement reduction from 40 feet to 20 feet to build our garage,” and cited a steep rear-yard slope and existing easements along Cherry and Morning streets as constraints determining the proposed location. A neighbor, Michelle of 136 East Cherry Street, said she did not object: “I don't have a problem with him moving his garage 15 feet from the lot line.”
During discussion board members said the site’s grade leaves few practical alternatives and that the revised plan is less intrusive than the earlier proposal. The board voted to approve the variance; the motion passed with six yeas.
The approval allows the applicant to build a garage in the rear yard with the 20-foot setback; the garage must comply with all other zoning and building requirements and any building permit reviews. The board’s action resolves the setback question for this application but does not relieve the owner from obtaining required building permits or complying with construction standards.
