Leawood Board of Zoning Appeals approves variances and exceptions for nine residential projects

LEAWOOD, Kan. — The Leawood Board of Zoning Appeals on Wednesday, Aug. 27, approved a slate of variances and exceptions for nine residential properties, voting unanimously on each case after staff reports and brief applicant presentations.

The decisions affect fences, decks, an accessory garage height, a front courtyard, pergolas and covered porches across Leawood neighborhoods. Board members cited lot shapes, existing nonconforming features and minimal impacts to adjacent properties when they found that each application met the five statutory variance factors in the Leawood Development Ordinance (LDO).

Votes at a glance

- Case 35 — 3105 West 119th Street (Adam Gosman): Approved. The board granted a variance to replace a previously existing 7-foot privacy wall associated with a deck (applicant requested 7 feet where the LDO limits walls associated with decks to 4 feet above the deck or 6 feet above grade). Gosman said the removed deck and wall provided privacy for bathroom/shower windows and that a tarp is currently used to block visibility. The board found all five variance factors met and approved the case 4–0.

- Case 36 — 10308 Howell Lane (applicant represented by contractor Ashley Brinkman for homeowner): Approved. The board approved an exception to allow replacement of an existing nonconforming side-yard deck in the same location; the new deck will be no closer than 10 feet from the side property line. Vote: 4–0.

- Case 37 — 4017 West 138th Terrace (Anthony Soletti): Approved. The board approved a variance for the maximum height of an architecturally…