Board of Adjustment approves 15-foot frontage variance for 101 East Main

The Board of Adjustment voted to grant a 15-foot frontage variance for the property at 101 East Main, allowing the lot’s required frontage to be reduced from 80 feet to 65 feet and enabling the owner to pursue rezoning to commercial use. The motion, as worded by staff, passed by unanimous voice vote.

Staff told the board the parcel is wedge-shaped because a portion of the lot falls in a railroad right-of-way, leaving the front lot line short of the 80-foot requirement in Code 156.035. A staff presentation described the request as consistent with the future land-use map and recommended approval so the property could be used for a restaurant or other commercial use. “We believe it is beneficial to the area and to the future land use map to have that building as a restaurant or some type of commercial business,” a staff member said.

Property owner and applicant Jordy Moltos said enforcing the ordinance as written would make the property unusable for the intended zoning. “Enforcing the ordinance would render the property unusable for the current zoning,” Moltos said, adding that the shortfall is caused by the railroad right-of-way. He and staff told the board that the requested 15-foot reduction—from 80 to 65 feet—is the minimum necessary to allow rezoning and reuse.

Board members asked about parking; staff said there is room to add parking at the back and side of the building. The motion recorded by staff was: a 15-foot variance reducing the frontage requirement from 80 feet to 65 feet for the property located at 101 East Main. The motion was seconded and approved by voice vote with members voting in favor: Member Alford, Member Jones, Vice Chairman Davis and Chairman Reins.

With the variance approved, staff said the property would be eligible to proceed with a rezoning application to permit commercial uses. No further formal actions were recorded at the hearing.