Opelika commission approves two setback variances; November meeting moved

The Opelika Planning Commission on Tuesday approved two setback variances and voted to move its November meeting to Nov. 18 at 9 a.m.

The commission approved a 21-foot variance to the 30-foot side-yard setback for 304 Fox Run Avenue so the applicant can align a proposed rear addition with the existing building and preserve internal workflow. City planning staff said the existing building currently sits 9 feet from the property line, and the proposed addition would maintain that alignment, requiring the 21-foot reduction from the 30-foot requirement.

City planning staff recommended approval after noting engineering and site constraints. The staff presentation said rotating the addition or shifting it deeper into the lot would encounter roughly a 20-foot slope at the rear of the property that would make grading and drainage more difficult. Brandon Boldt of Boldt Engineering, the applicant’s representative, told the commission the design keeps warehouse bays aligned and avoids difficult grading in the rear. "Those were his reasons," Boldt said.

A nearby business owner, Corey Holmes of 404 Foxtrot Avenue, asked whether a variance granted to the adjacent property would prevent future expansion on his site; staff replied the variance would not change setback requirements on Holmes’s property and would not affect his ability to expand. "Our…