Augusta board approves setback variance for Augusta Middle School addition

The Board of Zoning Appeals approved Variance 2025‑13 on a vote announced at the meeting, allowing Augusta Middle School to encroach roughly 5 feet into the 15‑foot side setback to accommodate a planned addition.

Staff reported that the variance was requested by the school district after it passed a bond to fund improvements and additions to district facilities. According to Staff, the site is a corner lot zoned R‑1 under the city’s 2020 zoning regulations; because the school’s institutional use now sits in an R‑1 district, the larger residential setbacks limit the school’s building envelope. “They are proposing to encroach on that 15 foot setback by approximately 5 feet and are requesting a 10 foot setback on this side,” Staff said during the presentation.

During the hearing, Staff walked the board through the required findings of fact for a variance, saying the request is specific to the property, is not generally applicable to other R‑1 parcels, and that strict application of the current regulations would impose an unnecessary hardship for a school expansion. Staff concluded the proposal would not be expected to adversely affect neighboring property owners or sight triangles and that it was consistent with the spirit of the zoning ordinance.

Logan Mills of Certified Engineering Design, representing the project’s civil engineering team, told the board the team had nothing further to add after Staff’s presentation. Commissioner (S2) moved to approve the variance “as presented”; the motion was seconded and the board voted in favor.

The record contains an address inconsistency: Staff described the site as 1001 North State Street, while the motion as recorded referenced “1001 Page Street.” The board did not resolve that discrepancy on the record during the hearing.

The board did not attach additional conditions beyond the variance request. No appeal timeline or next steps for the variance were announced during the meeting.