Board approves retroactive variances for unpermitted carport at 1522 Hickory Street

The Zoning Board of Adjustment and Appeals on June 16 approved a special exception and several variances for a side-yard carport at 1522 Hickory Street.

Planning staff (Salvador) told the board the applicant had already constructed a 584-square-foot, seven-foot-tall side-yard carport attached to the side of the house; the application sought a special exception for a side-yard carport, a reduced side-yard setback (from 3 feet to 2 feet), a variance for the carport area (from the 500-square-foot limit to 584 square feet) and a variance to increase total accessory-structure area from the usual 50% of the primary structure to 82%.

Staff said the carport includes a gutter/drainage arrangement intended to prevent runoff onto neighboring property. Fifty-three notices were mailed; staff reported no returned notices in favor or opposed and that there is no homeowners association. Planning staff recommended approval and said the item had come to the board as a code case because the structure had been built without prior permits.

The applicant (Blanca Cardenas was identified in the record as the applicant; she did not appear) did not present in person; no speakers appeared to oppose the request. A motion to close and approve the variances passed without recorded opposition (vote recorded 9-0 in the meeting minutes). The board's approval regularizes the existing carport subject to the conditions of the approved variance record and applicable building-permit requirements.