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Zoning board grants Ludlow homeowners permission to replace 16-foot driveway
Summary
The Zoning Board of Appeals approved a variance May 12 allowing homeowners at 13352 Ludlow to replace an existing 16-foot driveway where the municipal code requires 12 feet, after staff said the driveway was originally approved when the house was built.
The Zoning Board of Appeals voted May 12 to grant a variance allowing the replacement of a 16-foot driveway at 13352 Ludlow, despite a local standard that calls for 12 feet at the front of a house.
Applicants Johanna and Chris Merack told the board they seek to "replace our driveway exactly as it is right now," saying the full replacement triggered the need for a variance because the code specifies a 12-foot width at the front of the house.
A city staff member identified in the meeting as Hank described the site's history, saying the house was built around 2006 and that "at that point in time, they had a 16-foot driveway and the city approved the plans back then." Hank told the board the house is a side-entry garage and that extra width improves maneuverability, and he reviewed the four statutory criteria the board considers for a variance: peculiarities of the land or structure, lack of harm to the neighborhood, that the condition was not caused by the current applicant, and whether the variance sought is the minimum necessary.
Board members asked technical questions about alternatives, including whether a 16-foot width could be limited to the area behind the front of the house to reduce impacts at the property line and whether changing the driveway to 12 feet at the front would require altering the apron and curb cut. A neighbor, Hardee Segal, provided historical context about the development of the lots in the area and how earlier approvals affected driveway configurations.
After discussion, a board member moved to grant the appeal to allow a 16-foot driveway under section 40-10.06 (parking circulation); the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote. The chair announced the motion passed with no voiced opposition. The meeting then concluded with a motion to adjourn.
The board did not record a roll-call tally in the transcript; members noted six were present and that four affirmative votes are required for action. The board approved the requested relief by voice vote, and no conditions or specific amendments to the driveway configuration were recorded in the minutes available in the transcript.
Next steps: the variance legitimizes the 16-foot driveway and the applicants may proceed with replacement consistent with the terms discussed and any necessary building permits or curb/approach work required by public works.
