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Commission allows existing backyard sheds and gazebos for retired homeowners but orders removal of two gazebos over time
Summary
The commission granted waivers to leave existing accessory structures for a Paradise property while adding conditions requiring removal of two gazebos (one within 12 months, the second within 18 months total) and urging the owner to thin decorative items that affect neighbors' views and safety concerns.
At its Aug. 19 meeting the Planning Commission approved waivers of development standards that allow existing backyard accessory structures for a Paradise property owned by retired residents, but added conditions requiring removal of two gazebos over a staged timeline and urging the owner to reduce decorative items that neighbors said create safety and visual concerns.
Applicants Patricia and her husband told the commission they installed two gazebos and metal sheds over the past decade for shade and pool changing and said the property owner is on a fixed income. Neighbors who share a common wall testified that plastic decorative trees, strings of lights and rooftop coverings create a concentrated visual and potential fire hazard along the shared wall.
Several commissioners said they sympathized with the homeowners’ financial constraints but that the backyard arrangement had grown to a degree that warrants mitigation for neighbor safety and visibility. Commissioners and staff discussed which structures pre‑dated the current owner and which were added; the applicants said one large shed pre‑dated purchase (about 29 years) and two gazebos were installed about 10–12 years ago.
The commission added conditions to staff’s recommended approval: remove the gazebo that is in disrepair within 12 months and remove the second gazebo within six months after that (effectively within 18 months total). Commissioners encouraged the applicant to “thin the herd” of decorative items (lights and plastic trees) to reduce visual clutter and potential fire risk; staff will determine which items, if any, require building permits or code compliance checks. The motion to approve with conditions passed.
Why this matters: the decision balances an elderly homeowner’s hardship and long‑standing backyard improvements against neighbor safety and livability; the staged removal schedule gave time for the owner to comply while addressing neighbors’ concerns about fire hazards and visibility.
