Board approves multiple variances and special exceptions, continues several cases

The Board of Adjustment on an administrative hearing approved variances and special exceptions for a range of property requests, including screening for hospital generators, rebuilding setback relief after tornado damage, a school marquee conversion to digital, multiple home-sharing permits with noise and parking conditions, and a lot-size variance connected to a pending real-estate sale. The board continued several cases to March to allow applicants time to provide additional information.

The approvals include technical adjustments that require follow-up by planning staff and other review bodies. For a downtown hospital project, the board granted a variance to exceed the eight-foot fence limit so a screening enclosure can meet the Downtown Design Commission’s requirements; the approval was made contingent on the applicant obtaining the required Certificate of Appropriateness and completing administrative corrections. "We are willing to screen as high... but that requires a variance of above 8 feet," said Emily Tremblay, director of facilities for Valor Health, explaining the clinic’s request for taller screening around generators. Planning staff, represented by Sarah Welch of the planning department, told the board that staff and the downtown design review will set the final finished height after the variance is granted.

The board also approved variance requests from homeowners seeking to rebuild houses destroyed by a tornado and to restore preexisting setbacks on Maxine Drive. Leslie Drake, speaking for several neighbors, said the owners want to "rebuild similar to the homes that we had previously" because new AA Agricultural District standards and five-acre lot assumptions prevent reconstructing houses in their original footprints.

School district plans to replace an existing marquee with a digital sign were approved after board members said the sign will replace an existing sign in the same location, will not increase in size and will follow operational-hour limits. Melissa Holcomb,…