Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Accessory Structure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Zoning board rejects pole‑barn and accessory shop proposal after neighborhood opposition
Summary
The board denied a variance for a 40×60 pole barn at Forest Glen Drive after neighbors and the Kaiser Valley Neighborhood Association objected to potential commercial activity in an R‑8 area; the vote was 5–0 against the variance.
The Zoning Hearing Board denied a variance sought by Anthony Christopher Lewis to construct a 40×60 pole barn with a bathroom on vacant land off Forest Glen Drive. Applicant’s representative Dave Johns said the 2,400‑square‑foot structure was proposed as a storage and woodworking space for the owner’s personal use; Johns said occasional paid work for friends had occurred but that no customers would be served on site.
Neighborhood speakers, including Mark Phillips and Gary Dibilio from the Kaiser Valley Neighborhood Association, presented a petition with about 140 signatures opposing any commercial use on land zoned R‑8 and urged the board to preserve the residential character of the area. "We would more than welcome Mr. Lewis as a residential home, but when it comes to changing zoning from residential to commercial... we oppose that," said Gary Dibilio.
Board members questioned whether the proposed use would remain strictly noncommercial given admissions of occasional paid work; after discussion the board voted 5–0 to deny the variance. The denial keeps the parcel limited to permitted residential uses; the applicant may return with a different proposal that fits accessory‑use rules or seek other zoning relief.
