Council denied a variance request and simultaneously required remediation steps after staff and emergency responders said a conversion to four units created life‑safety risks.

Applicant Rick Holden said he purchased the property believing it was a triplex; staff and building records showed it had been permitted previously as a duplex and that unpermitted conversions and a garage conversion had occurred without building permits. Planning and engineering staff said the lot fell well below the 7,000‑sq‑ft minimum for four units and that proposed on‑site parking would not meet code and could block alley access used by emergency vehicles.

The City’s building and fire departments recommended denial because the conversions lack permits and create structural and fire‑safety unknowns; staff suggested conditions if the council approved, but council instead voted to deny the variance and required the owner to pull a demolition permit and inspections to return the unit to a permitted configuration. The denial passed by roll call and included findings that the variance did not meet the five statutory criteria for approval.