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Council approves variance for patio cover at 3707 S. Edgeview Drive after neighbor review
Summary
Nampa council granted a variance to allow a patio cover to encroach into an 8‑foot rear utility easement behind a home at 3707 South Edgeview Drive, with conditions including an easement/encroachment agreement and fire-rating where required.
The Nampa City Council on July 21 approved a variance allowing a patio shade cover to be constructed at 3707 South Edgeview Drive, despite the property’s rear lot utility easement and a 15‑foot RP setback in current code.
Applicant representatives said the homeowner, Tammy Chaffin, requires shade on the back patio for health reasons and that the proposed metal prefabricated cover will be bolted to the concrete and stop short of the fence line. Planning staff noted the property was originally developed and built out to an earlier setback standard; the house was compliant at the time of construction.
Why it matters: The property is zoned RP (residential professional) and the city’s current RP code requires a 15‑foot rear setback; however, the existing lot contains an 8‑foot rear utility easement and the principal structure was previously built to the earlier, smaller setback. The variance provides an administrative path to allow a modest patio cover while protecting the city’s ability to enforce utility and fire-code requirements.
Details and conditions: Planning staff and engineering recommended approval contingent on an encroachment agreement if the easement allows it, compliance with building and fire codes, and that the structure meet the building department’s requirement to be installed at least 3 feet from the property line unless constructed with fire protections. Staff noted that similar patio covers exist in the neighborhood though some do not meet current code. The parcel backs up to a city pump house on RS6‑zoned property; the cover will not extend past the homeowner’s fence.
Questions and testimony: Applicant representative Bill Deal and homeowner Tammy Chaffin described site conditions and said the cover will include gutters to limit runoff onto the adjacent slope and will not overhang the fence. Associate planner Damian Snodgrass provided site history, noting an earlier similar variance in 2025 had been denied in a different subdivision scenario. Council clarified that the property’s buildout complied with the code in force when the house was built and moved to approve the variance with an amendment referencing the 8‑foot easement rather than a 15‑foot setback.
Outcome: The council approved the variance by roll call, with council members voting in favor and directing staff to document the encroachment agreement and building/fire requirements prior to permitting.
Ending: The decision allows the homeowner the shade structure she seeks while requiring an encroachment agreement and compliance with building and fire codes to protect utilities and public safety.
