Boulder County board denies setback variance for Longmont-area junkyard

The Boulder County Board of Adjustment denied a request to reduce front and rear setbacks for a fence at a Longmont-area junkyard, saying the application did not meet the county—s variance criteria.

Pete LaRonge, Community Planning and Permitting staff, told the board the parcel is about 2.46 acres in the general industrial zone and that the applicants asked to reduce a 60-foot front setback to roughly 45 feet and eliminate a 20-foot rear setback for the construction of a 10-foot concrete block wall. Staff recommended denial, saying the parcel lacked "exceptional or extraordinary physical circumstances" and could meet setback requirements without an undue hardship.

The applicant, Luke Embry, said the existing fence alignment dated to the late 1970s and that moving the fence to meet setbacks would require removing mature trees that provide screening. Embry said keeping the fence in its current position would allow him to bring the property into compliance more quickly and preserve vegetation.

Board members questioned whether the parcel—s size and flat topography constituted the kind of exceptional circumstance that justifies a variance. Multiple members said they did not find the first statutory criterion met and noted the applicant could retain an existing 6-foot chain-link fence along the property line while constructing a setback-compliant 10-foot fence if needed.

Board member Robert Kiley moved to deny variance VAR250005, saying the record did not show the extraordinary physical circumstances required by the code. The motion passed on a unanimous roll-call vote.

The denial means the applicants must either construct screening that meets the county—s setback rules or seek another remedy consistent with county regulations. No appeal outcome on this docket was recorded in the meeting; the board closed the matter and moved on to the next agenda item.