Commission backs variance to allow dumpster locations for proposed Gateway shopping center

The Jasper City Planning Commission recommended approval of a variance that will allow dumpster enclosures to be placed outside of the ordinance-defined rear yard for a proposed Gateway commercial development at 319 Mountain Boulevard South.

The applicant, represented by property owner Dave Terry of Gateway Commercial LLC, asked for relief from a city ordinance that requires dumpster enclosures to be in a rear yard and at least five feet from property lines. Planning staff said the request is driven by the property’s unusual geometry: the lot has three frontages (east, north and west) and shares access with a developed parcel to the south, leaving few locations that meet the rear-yard requirement without interfering with site visibility.

Staff recommended approval, finding the property meets the variance criteria because of exceptional conditions related to lot shape and frontage. Staff also recommended conditions including that enclosures be architecturally integrated with the buildings, provide an oil-water separator or cover to control runoff, and acknowledge the city’s temporary water suspension though the city has committed service to the site.

The applicant’s team described a conceptual plan showing two dumpster enclosures—one mid‑block along the north property line and one at the northwest corner—and said the locations would be screened with landscaping and constructed as three‑sided brick enclosures with a façade. The developer said the design intends to protect site visibility and the planned town‑square style common area.

A commissioner moved to approve the variance with the staff conditions; another commissioner seconded. The commission approved the recommendation by voice vote and will forward it to the city council for final action.