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Board grants driveway‑location variance on Alexandria Pike to allow front driveway closer to arterial
Summary
The Board of Adjustment approved a variance letting the applicant relocate a proposed driveway to roughly 40 feet from Alexandria Pike’s curb return (reducing the 100‑foot requirement) after staff and the applicant described steep grades, existing small garage constraints, and expected traffic‑flow improvements.
At its October meeting the Fort Thomas Board of Adjustment voted to grant a variance allowing a new driveway approach closer to Alexandria Pike than the city's 100‑foot requirement for driveways near arterials.
City planning staff said the homeowners face a steep elevation change from Alexandria Pike up to the house, and the existing garage and side driveway are not sized for modern vehicles. Representative John Davis of Davis Custom Concrete told the board the plan includes reconfiguring a retaining wall, grading the hillside and creating a front‑yard driveway; he said the applicant could meet either a 40‑ or 50‑foot setback depending on grading but requested permission to place it approximately 40 feet from the curb return, which was characterized at the hearing as a 60‑foot variance from the 100‑foot standard.
Neighbors and board members asked about parking, the painted yellow curb zone near a stop sign and how the new curb cut would affect on‑street parking. Applicant Davis said the change should move cars off the street, improve sight lines and reduce congestion near the stop sign. The applicant estimated the driveway width at roughly 16 feet at the street and said the existing large retaining wall would be altered to allow the approach.
A board member moved to grant the variance as presented; following discussion and a second, the motion carried. Staff told the applicant to coordinate final plans, retaining‑wall work and the curb cut with planning and public works before construction.
