The North Ridgeville Board of Zoning and Building Appeals approved an 8.35-foot variance request for a home addition at 36588 (transcript shows Parkers/Barkhurst Mill Drive) to allow a proposed setback of 6.65 feet from adjacent common open space where the zoning ordinance requires 15 feet. The board voted 3-1 to grant the variance after hearing that the addition is intended to accommodate an 89-year-old family member and that other locations on the lot would conflict with homeowners association (HOA) guidelines and create more visual impacts.

City staff described the property as backing onto a substantial common open area tied to utility easements and noted the HOA’s construction-style requirements. The applicant (identified in the hearing as Raquel; application read as Lewis and Raquel Lanos) said the proposed northeast-corner addition would match existing roof height and pitch and avoid interfering with neighbors’ windows or the HOA’s design standards. Board members who visited the site reported no substantial visual impairment to adjacent properties.

The application cited Chapter 1282 and specifically asked for relief from the 15-foot setback requirement for cluster-dwelling units from common open space (Section 1282.11(b)(2)). The applicant explained the practical difficulty as the need to provide accessible, single-level space for family caregiving and that the lot layout and HOA rules limited alternative locations. A city staff member confirmed there is a large common area and noted that nothing can be built in that common space.

After discussion, a board member moved to allow the variance and another seconded; the clerk recorded a 3-1 vote (Grotman: yes; Weaver: yes; Toth: no; Masterson: yes). The board’s approval permits the owners to proceed with design and to seek building permits under the granted setback relief.

The decision balances the homeowner’s stated caregiving need and construction constraints against the zoning setback standard; the board’s narrow margin indicates some member concern, but no neighbors spoke in opposition during the hearing.