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BZA Approves Small Increase in Impervious Coverage, Denies Side‑Setback Relief on Nonconforming Lot
Summary
For BZA250076 the board approved a request to increase impervious coverage from 35% to 37% but denied two requests to reduce interior side setbacks, finding alternative plan adjustments likely to avoid those side‑setback variances.
The City Board of Zoning Appeals considered three variances for a second nonconforming lot in an E zoning district and approved only the impervious‑coverage increase while denying two side‑setback reductions.
Staff said the requests included decreasing interior side setbacks from 7.5 feet or 10% of lot width to approximately 2.0–2.1 feet on each side, and increasing maximum impervious surface from 35% to 37%. The applicant, Joshua Hahn, said the lot is previously recorded and nonconforming and argued a modular unit with attached garage made the layout tight.
Board members pressed whether the house footprint and garage could be repositioned to meet side setbacks and questioned whether the modest impervious increase could be achieved by shifting the house forward or by other site adjustments. One board member calculated the 2% increase equated to roughly 150 square feet of impervious surface; the board ultimately approved the impervious‑coverage variance on the basis of lot size/shape but denied the two side‑setback requests, citing alternatives and the availability of plan adjustments.
Motions: the board approved item 3 (impervious coverage) on a motion citing lot size; a subsequent motion to deny items 1 and 2 passed on the grounds that alternatives could meet setback requirements without granting variances.
