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Sunbury BZA approves reduced side-yard setback for garage at 90 South Vernon Street
Summary
The Sunbury Board of Zoning Appeals voted 4-0 to grant a variance reducing the side-yard setback from 4 feet to 2 feet to allow the rebuilding and modest enlargement of a garage at 90 South Vernon Street; staff said the proposal meets other zoning requirements and a neighboring property submitted a letter of support.
The Sunbury Board of Zoning Appeals voted 4-0 to approve a variance reducing the required side-yard setback from 4 feet to about 2 feet for a new garage at 90 South Vernon Street.
The variance will allow the applicant to demolish and rebuild a deteriorated garage and extend it slightly to accommodate a full-size vehicle while attempting to retain the craftsman character of the century-old house, the applicant said.
City staff told the board the request is limited to the side-yard setback; all other zoning requirements for height and rear setbacks were met. “The applicant is requesting a reduction in side yard setback from 4 feet to 2 feet,” a city staff member said during the hearing, and noted the application included a letter of support from the neighbor to the north.
Vic Whitney, legal counsel to the Board of Zoning Appeals, explained procedure at the public hearing and the exhibits entered into the record: the application and supporting drawings, the public notice and proof of mailing, a one-page neighbor support letter, and the staff report.
The applicant, identified in the hearing as Nathan, described the existing garage as having extensive rot and termite damage and said demolition and rebuilding was more practical than repairing the current structure. “We bought the house about 4 months ago,” Nathan said, adding the owners wanted the new garage to be sympathetic to the home’s craftsman style.
No members of the public offered comment during the hearing. After closing the public portion, a board member moved to approve the variance “as written,” a motion that was seconded and then carried with four votes in favor. The board recorded four affirmative votes and the chair announced, “Motion approved.”
Board members and staff reiterated that the requested reduction affects only the side-yard setback and that the project otherwise conforms with applicable zoning dimensions shown in the staff report. The record includes the submitted elevations and plans, the neighbor support letter, and the staff report documenting the 4-foot setback requirement and the recommended action.
The board also swore in Shannon Stark as a member earlier in the meeting and approved routine rules and minutes before adjourning. The board’s next meeting was noted as July 21; the staff reported no completed applications at the time of the hearing.
