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Board approves landscaping in lieu of masonry to screen EV charger at 895 S. State Road 135
Summary
The Board of Zoning Appeals approved a variance for Tesla supercharger equipment at the Target parking lot at 895 South State Road 135 to be screened with plantings rather than a masonry enclosure, subject to a staff condition requiring year-round 100% opacity.
The Board of Zoning Appeals on a 5-0 vote approved a petitioner’s request to allow mechanical equipment associated with electric vehicle charging to be screened by landscaping rather than a masonry enclosure at 895 South State Road 135.
The petition, filed by Wilfredo Hernandez on behalf of Scout Services for a Target parking-lot installation of Tesla superchargers, won unanimous support from board members after city planning staff recommended approval.
Petitioner Wilfredo Hernandez told the board that Tesla proposes to install superchargers in the Target parking lot and that the request was “we're just asking that we use landscaping and shrubs to screen the mechanical equipment instead of masonry.” City planning staff said the charger location is toward State Road 135 and that landscaping “would make a lot more sense there than a large masonry wall close to the road,” and recommended approval with a single condition.
The board’s approval carries one staff-imposed condition: the planting-based screen must create a 100% opaque screen during all months of the year. At planting, landscaping must cover at least 50% of the mechanical equipment and must reach full (100%) opacity at maturity. The board first admitted the petitioner’s exhibits, maps and the staff report into the record before taking the approval vote. Motions to admit evidence, to approve the variance and to direct the corporation counsel to draft written findings of fact all passed by recorded voice/hand vote as 5-0.
The board will finalize written findings at a subsequent meeting; meanwhile staff told Hernandez he may work with planning staff on implementation prior to final adoption. No members of the public spoke in opposition during the hearing.
