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Board denies large rear‑yard parking increase and garage‑separation variance but approves aesthetic review for revised addition
Summary
A variance request to increase rear‑yard area used for driveway and parking to 60 percent and a request to reduce distance between a detached garage and primary structure were denied; the board approved aesthetic review for the same property’s submitted addition.
On June 11 the Planning & Zoning Board rejected a request to increase the rear‑yard area used for driveway and parking to 60 percent and rejected a separate request to reduce the separation between a detached garage and the primary structure, but it approved the project’s aesthetic review as submitted.
The applicant described a rear addition intended to provide a master bedroom, family room and kitchen, and said the design attempts to remain subordinate to the existing house by stepping materials and massing. Planning staff reported that the lot for the project is smaller than the zoning standard and that counting the garage apron and adjacent parking areas would yield a rear‑yard parking figure near 60 percent on the plan submitted to the board.
Board members debated whether to grant the substantial parking increase. Concerns included the small lot size, the existing use of a gravel parking area, and neighborhood compatibility. One board member proposed approving the larger parking allowance; the motion failed. The board then considered a variance to reduce the separation between the detached garage and the house from 10 feet to 9 feet 5 inches; that motion also failed.
Members voted to approve the aesthetic review for the submitted addition. During discussion neighbors and the design team suggested ways to maintain the visual hierarchy between old and new—continuing a brick band or a defined material transition at the lower plane, adjusting dormer window proportions and maintaining a subordinate roof profile. Staff reminded the board and applicant that portions of the parking/coverage requests could be withdrawn if the applicant reconfigured paving or removed a proposed parking pad.
The denials mean the applicant will need to either revise the paved area and garage relationship before returning or proceed with the aesthetic approvals while removing or resubmitting the denied variance requests.
