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BZA approves variance to regularize expanded parking at 5266 Center Street
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Summary
The Board of Zoning Appeals voted 6-0 to approve a variance allowing an unpermitted parking expansion at 5266 Center Street to remain and be brought closer to code under five conditions; staff flagged engineering and fire-department review required through civil plan review.
The Board of Zoning Appeals voted 6-0 to approve a variance for 5266 Center Street that will regularize a parking-area expansion added without approval around 2021, planning staff said.
Planning staff member Steph told the board, “this portion back here was added to the property without approval, back in approximately 2021,” and described the requested variances: a reduction in the frontage setback (the plan shows a 10-foot setback although zoning requires 20 feet), narrower parking stalls (proposed 8 feet wide versus the 9-foot requirement), and the absence of required interior landscaping. Steph said staff recommended approval with five conditions and that final engineering conformance will be verified through civil review.
The staff presentation also flagged engineering concerns: driveway aisles shown on the plan are about 12 feet wide where engineering standards call for 22 feet, and staff said the applicant must verify ingress and egress safety with the Norwich Township Fire Department. ‘‘That would be all addressed with engineering,’’ Steph said, adding that the civil review would determine final compliance.
No applicant appeared at the hearing and no members of the public spoke on the item. With public comment closed, board members expressed support for bringing the frontage closer to code and for improving landscaping to reduce the visual impact of the site. One board member said the application would make the frontage “look better and bring it closer to code compliance.”
A motion to approve Case BZA-25-23 (5266 Center Street), including the five staff-recommended conditions, passed on roll call by a 6-0 vote. The roll call, as recorded at the hearing, shows the following recorded affirmative responses: Mister Mills (Yes); Mister Bucci (Yes); Vice President McGee (Yes); Mister Antle (Yes); Mister Blythe (Yes); President Deisel (Yes). The board recorded the motion as carried 6-0.
Next steps: the approval is conditioned on the five items listed in the staff report and on the applicant completing civil plan review and any required permit work. Staff indicated the engineering and fire-department clearances will be verified during that review.
