Board approves addition at 550 Henley after applicants reduce side-yard impact

The Board of Zoning Appeals approved variances for an addition at 550 Henley after the applicant revised plans to reduce side-yard intrusion and address board concerns.

City staff described the property as an odd-shaped lot that produced complex setback calculations. Staff said the front-yard requirement averages homes on the block and that the existing/proposed front setback would be 24.5 feet where the average required is about 34.6 feet, producing an effective front-yard variance request of about 10.1 feet. The applicant reconfigured interior space and recessed a portion of the addition to reduce the worst side-yard intrusion to roughly a 2-foot variance (staff had earlier shown a larger figure). The revisions reduced the nonconformity and improved the exterior layout.

Owner Michael (last name on file) and his design team described changes made following the board's earlier review: the bathroom footprint was reworked, a bedroom closet reduced by roughly a foot, and the exterior plane was pulled in to create better conformity while maintaining an accessible master suite. The applicant emphasized the property’s irregular shape and said the addition is intended for aging-in-place accessibility; the project includes a First Floor master and laundry and uses a crawl space, not a new basement.

Board members who supported approval said the applicant mitigated the nonconformity, the lot’s shape creates practical constraints, and the project will not harm neighboring properties. One board member tied approval to the submitted plans and said the changes achieved “substantial justice” by allowing an accessible, updated home without materially affecting neighbors. The board approved the request by roll call and recorded that approval would be tied to the plans on file.

Votes: Motion to approve variances (front-yard and reduced side-yard) passed by roll call; approval tied to submitted plans.