Applicant seeks variance for front-yard accessory building on steep lot at 1087 South 1300 East; city staff recommends denial

Property owners Richard Taylor and his co-applicant (identified in the hearing as Sam) asked the hearing officer to grant a variance permitting a front-yard accessory building (a covered parking structure or carport) at 1087 South 1300 East, citing an unusually steep driveway, pedestrian-safety concerns and a history of crime at the site. Salt Lake City planning staff recommended denial, saying the request reflects a self-imposed hardship, does not meet the minimum variance standards and raises staging- and riparian-corridor issues. The hearing officer took the matter under advisement and said he will issue a written decision within 10 days.

Sam (the applicant’s presenter) told the hearing officer the lot has a roughly 34% driveway slope and a roughly 10-foot elevation drop over 29 feet, which, he said, made…