Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Residential Variance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Panel approves ceiling-height variance for West Matthews Avenue home
Summary
An applicant identified as Mr. Orr received approval to reduce first-floor ceiling height to 9 feet and the second-floor height to 8 feet for a new single-family home; a nearby homeowner asked to review elevations and staff confirmed setbacks were compliant.
An applicant identified in the transcript as Mr. Orr asked the panel for variances to reduce the first-floor ceiling height to 9 feet and the top-floor height to 8 feet for a home on West Matthews Avenue. Mr. Orr said he and his family will live in the house.
Staff placed the request in the context of the neighborhood transition/redevelopment district, noting typical first-floor heights in nearby zones are 10.5 or 12 feet and that setbacks and other dimensional requirements appeared compliant. The applicant and staff confirmed the variance request covered only ceiling heights; no change to setbacks was being sought.
A nearby homeowner, Meg Sebastian, said she had not seen the elevations and asked whether setback variances remained part of the application. "I'm not trying to crush anybody's dream," Sebastian said, but she wanted to know what was being requested. Staff and the applicant clarified that setbacks were not part of the current variance; the only request was for ceiling heights.
Following the public comment period and staff discussion, the panel recorded affirmative roll-call responses and the variance was approved as recorded in the transcript. The transcript does not include a full motion text for this item or a named mover; the roll call recorded 'Yes' responses as recorded by the clerk.
