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BZA unanimously approves side-setback variance for 7714 Mohawk Drive in Prairie Village
Summary
The Prairie Village Board of Zoning Appeals approved a variance allowing an attached two-car garage at 7714 Mohawk Drive to sit 4 feet 2 inches from the side lot line instead of the required 7 feet, after staff and the applicant described lot constraints and neighborhood support.
The Prairie Village Board of Zoning Appeals on the evening considered and approved BZA 2024-9, a request to allow a proposed attached two-car garage at 7714 Mohawk Drive to sit 4 feet 2 inches from the side lot line, instead of the 7 feet required by the R1A district.
Planning staff summarized the application, saying the property is a legally nonconforming 70-foot-wide lot in an R1A zone and that the applicant sought a 2-foot-10-inch variance from the side-setback requirement. Staff said the proposal meets cumulative side-setback calculations and the required 14-foot building separation would be approximately 12 feet to the adjacent north building in current dimensions, and recommended approval with standard conditions limiting construction to the submitted plans and requiring the approval to be recorded with the county register of deeds.
Devin Coffey, the applicant and property owner, said he and his family want to preserve the existing home rather than pursue a teardown. Coffey, who identified himself as a real-estate developer, told the board he has experienced recurring flooding on the low-sitting lot and that he expects to spend “north of 300 to $500,000” to raise and renovate the house to address drainage issues. He said he submitted multiple letters of support from adjacent neighbors and had made minor plan adjustments in response to staff comments.
After asking for public comment, the chair opened the public hearing and received none. A board member moved to approve the variance and another seconded; the board voted unanimously to approve BZA 2024-9. Staff reiterated that approval is limited to the plans submitted to the board and that any future changes to the building footprint would require a new application or an additional variance.
The board’s action allows the applicant to proceed with the garage addition subject to the stated conditions and the requirement that the variance be recorded with the county. The meeting record shows no public opposition was raised at the hearing.
