BZA approves second-story addition variance for 925 Largely

The Birmingham Board of Zoning Appeals on Wednesday granted a setback variance allowing a second‑story addition at 925 Largely, finding the proposed renovation keeps the existing footprint and aligns with neighboring development.

City presenter Andrew Erickson explained the ordinance requires a minimum combined setback of 14 feet or 25% of the lot width (18.75 feet in this case). The applicant proposes a combined setback of approximately 13.9 feet, a variance request of about 4.85 feet, to permit a new second floor over a longstanding nonconforming house built in 1950.

Architect Grama Donaldson, representing Casler Construction, said the design ties into the 2002 second-floor addition already on the house and keeps the proposed 870-square‑foot addition stacked over the existing garage to preserve symmetry and avoid enlarging the footprint. "The proposed 2025 addition is keeping with the size and form of the adjacent houses," Donaldson said.

A neighboring resident, Donna Klein of 930 Largely, spoke against variances generally and said she did not see a hardship here. Board members examined alternatives, including pulling back the second floor; several commissioners concluded that pulling the addition back would require reframing the roof and might necessitate the same or a similar variance, and that the proposal preserves the home and neighborhood character.

A member moved to approve the variance tied to the submitted drawings; the motion passed unanimously on roll call, with the clerk recording affirmative votes from present members. The board tied approval to the submitted plans.