BZA grants setback variance for accessory garage at Mooresville property

The Morgan County Board of Zoning Appeals on July 28 approved a development-standard variance allowing Michael Reese Jr. to construct a 40-by-48-foot accessory garage with a reduced side-yard setback of roughly 5 feet at 4577 East Ave Road in Brown Township.

Reese told the board the lot’s topography and the location of a septic system and utilities limit practical placement of a detached garage; he said the nearest neighbor’s house is about 600 feet away and that the proposed structure is set back from utilities. "I’ve scaled it back from 3 doors to 2 doors and turned the garage longer to wider, to try to fit in," Reese said. He said he purchased the property in February 2002 and plans to use the building as a personal shop, not for commercial vehicle repairs.

Planning staff recommended approval, noting the Health Department had no objections, the nearest residence is nearly 600 feet away, and the proposed location avoids utilities and septic infrastructure. The staff report also said the topography slopes away from the building site, and the nearest neighbor is distant enough that the reduced setback would not substantially impact adjacent property values.

Board members voted to approve the petition on a voice vote. Staff recorded that the nearest neighbor’s residence is nearly 600 feet from the proposed garage and that the health department reported no objections; the board did not record a roll-call tally in the minutes. The applicant said he expects the structure to fit within the stated footprint and to be built to local code.

The variance allows the garage to be sited nearer the property line than the ordinance normally permits; permits and inspections remain subject to standard planning and building-department review.