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Birmingham BZA denies J. Jill request to obscure corner storefront at 284 West Maple
Summary
The Board of Zoning Appeals denied a dimensional variance requested by retailer J. Jill to place 392 sq ft of opaque film over two Bates Street windows at 284 West Maple, concluding the appellant had not demonstrated the kind of practical difficulty that outweighs the ordinance goal of visible storefronts.
The Birmingham Board of Zoning Appeals voted to deny an appeal by retailer J. Jill asking permission to obscure two storefront windows at 284 West Maple with 392 square feet of opaque window film.
Nick Depuy, the city’s planning director, told the board the ordinance (Article 4 §4.9(o)) prohibits blocking required window area because the city seeks “active, engaging storefronts” to support a walkable downtown. Depuy said the applicant’s letter cited store-layout constraints and fitting rooms as the reason for…
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