Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Facilities topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board of Zoning Appeals approves setback variance for Garfield Elementary gym storage
Summary
The Board of Zoning Appeals approved a variance to reduce the front setback at Garfield Elementary (1053 Osage St.) from 30 feet to 19 feet 3 inches so the school can add a roughly 10-by-40-foot storage addition adjacent to the gym; staff found the request met the variance findings.
The Board of Zoning Appeals granted a variance allowing Garfield Elementary to reduce its front building setback from 30 feet to 19 feet 3 inches to accommodate a storage addition for the gym.
Staff (S8) presented the request and walked the board through the required findings: the property’s continued school use is unique within its current R-1 zoning, the requested variance is tied to that use, and strict application of the current setback would impose an unnecessary hardship that limits reasonable use. Staff recommended approval.
Kyle Hyer, project manager with SPT Architecture, told the board the addition is a gym-level storage room intended to simplify logistics for events and avoid moving folding chairs across the campus. "This little addition is actually a storage addition for the gym itself," Hyer said, explaining that site geometry and the building’s existing placement make this location the only practical option for the storage room.
After public comment and questions about zoning history and prior 'assembly' classifications, a motion to approve Case 2025-20 was moved and seconded; the board voted in favor and the motion carried. Staff noted the Board of Zoning Appeals’ decisions are final and do not require additional city council review, so the applicant may pursue permits.
Next steps: the school district and project team can proceed with permit applications consistent with the approved variance.
