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Board grants rear-yard variance for 15 Congress Ave SE rebuild, denies front transparency and carport side-setback variances
Summary
The Board approved a reduced rear-yard setback for a proposed replacement single-family house at 15 Congress Ave SE but denied requested reductions for front facade transparency and for a reduced side setback for a detached carport. Staff and the applicant will follow up on remaining design options.
The Board of Zoning Appeals approved a dimensional variance reducing the required 25-foot rear yard setback to 12.5 feet for a proposed replacement single-family house at 15 Congress Avenue SE, while voting to deny two other variances for the same project: a request to reduce front-yard transparency and a request to reduce the required 5-foot side-yard setback for a detached accessory structure (carport).
Planning staff presented the site as a narrow lot in an older, compact neighborhood and noted the existing house is in poor condition; staff said administrative departures allowed some relief on the required building line but the proposed new house still encroaches into the rear yard. Architect Denny Dreyer described the existing structure as deteriorated and said the homeowner, Hannah Mitchell, intends to age in place in the new single-level house: “This will be a house to grow old in,” Dreyer said.
Board discussion focused on three variance requests: a 12.5-foot reduction of the rear yard setback (requested to make a livable living room with daylight), a 2-foot reduction of a 5-foot side setback for a carport, and a transparency request to reduce required storefront-style glazing on the street-facing wall. Several board members said the transparency and carport-side-setback requests appeared driven by design preferences rather than unavoidable physical constraints and that alternative layouts or small relocations could reduce or eliminate the need for those particular variances.
After deliberation the board denied the transparency and side-setback requests, citing concerns about neighborhood character and that the carport could be moved closer to the house without a variance. The board approved the rear-yard variance, finding the existing home’s condition and the lot’s historical placement supported the request and that the proposed replacement would not create substantial detriment to neighbors. The approval included guidance from board members to work with staff on front-window solutions and to minimize the number of outstanding variances.
Votes at a glance Denied: Front facade transparency reduction and detached carport side-setback variance at 15 Congress Ave SE. Approved: Reduced rear-yard setback (25 feet to 12.5 feet) for proposed single-family replacement at 15 Congress Ave SE.
