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Boulder zoning board approves small front-entry addition for historic home at 2041 5th Street
Summary
The City of Boulder Board of Zoning Adjustment approved a variance allowing a roughly 42-square-foot front-entry bump-out that reduces the north setback from the required 25 feet to about 10.2–10.3 feet for a contributing historic house in the Mableton Historic District.
The City of Boulder Board of Zoning Adjustment on a 4-0 vote approved a setback variance for 2041 5th Street that allows a roughly 42-square-foot enlargement of the home’s front entry and reduces the north setback to approximately 10.2–10.3 feet where 25 feet is required.
Staff told the board the request (BOZ2024-00017) is for a small bump-out beneath the existing front porch to reconfigure an interior stair and improve compliance with current building-code tread and riser dimensions. Robbie (staff) recommended approval after finding the application meets the variance review criteria, and the city’s Landmarks Board previously reviewed and supported the project through historic review HIS202400191.
Robbie said the property is a corner lot split-zoned with the western one-fifth zoned RM1 and the eastern four-fifths zoned RL1; the subject structure and proposed addition sit entirely within the RL1 portion, so RL1 standards apply. Staff reported the lot is 7,243 square feet (minimum 7,000 for the applicable RL1 standard). Building coverage and floor-area figures submitted with the application remain well under the code maximums: proposed building coverage was 1,381 square feet versus a stated maximum of 2,491 square feet, and proposed floor area including the addition was 1,705 square feet versus a stated maximum of 3,541 square feet. Staff also said the project does not increase the structure’s height, does not expand overall building coverage, and that solar access, side-yard bulk, and wall articulation are not issues for this small addition; final verification will occur at building permit review.
Samuel Samuel Austin, the project architect, told the board the interior stairs are currently overly steep with narrow treads and that adding treads and risers to comply with code requires about three feet of interior space; the exterior bump-out is the minimum change to provide a conforming stair. The house, built circa 1913, is a contributing building in the Mableton Historic District; staff and the landmarks review found that a strictly by-right design would adversely affect historic character and that the proposed design better preserves the building’s integrity under historic-criteria review.
No members of the public offered comment during the hearing. After brief board discussion in which members described the application as straightforward and in conformance with the staff and landmarks findings, a motion to approve BOZ2024-00017 was made and seconded. The roll call recorded Drew, Katie, Ben and Jill voting in favor; the motion passed 4-0. The applicants may now proceed to building-permit submittal and review.
Board members and staff noted there were no outstanding neighborhood objections in the record and that the project had already completed the required historic review. Staff said any final verification of zoning measurements, building coverage, and code compliance will occur at the building-permit stage.
