Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Setback Variance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Zoning board defers setback request for 523 Claremont Ave to October for redesigned plans
Summary
The Decatur Zoning Board of Appeals deferred a side-yard setback variance request for 523 Claremont Ave to the Oct. 13 meeting, advising the applicant to submit revised plans that may limit encroachment to stairs only.
The board deferred consideration of a setback variance for 523 Claremont Avenue at its Sept. 8 meeting, giving the applicant a date certain of Oct. 13 to submit revised plans.
Architect Ray Gardner described a narrow lot and said the project required a three-foot side-yard setback at one property line to allow an accessory two-story structure while preserving usable yard space. During discussion, board members questioned whether the proposal could be reconfigured to avoid a variance by shifting the structure, rearranging stairs or by keeping only stairs within the setback.
One board member summarized the panels view: several members would be more comfortable with a scheme that kept the vertical wall of the structure 10 feet from the property line and left only stairs encroaching. The chair explained that the applicant can return with revised drawings and that deferral preserves the applicants place in the queue rather than restarting the application process.
A motion to defer to the Oct. 13 meeting carried by voice vote. The board did not take a final vote on the requested variance at this meeting.
Next steps: Applicant to submit revised plans before Oct. 13 reflecting alternative configurations (e.g., moving the accessory forward or redesigning stairs) for board review.
