Planning board approves looser placement for accessory structures on corner lots with added screening

The Planning & Advisory Board recommended amendments to the city code to permit some accessory structures to be placed closer to secondary streets on corner lots, subject to existing setback, building‑code and screening requirements.

City staff said the change is intended to reduce repeat variance requests to the board of adjustment and to reflect existing conditions where corner lots have limited backyard space. Under the proposal, certain accessory structures (including enclosed sheds up to specified sizes, gazebos and tiki‑hut‑type structures) would be allowed in the so‑called "second front yard," while permanent structures must meet building‑code uplift and engineering standards.

Residents at the meeting raised concerns that sheds placed closer to sidewalks could be visually intrusive and asked whether fences or landscaping could be required to screen them. Diane Douglas and other residents said a permitted shed could be an improvement for homeowners with limited space; other speakers said they feared overlooking and loss of privacy. The board discussed setback distances (5–10 feet depending on size) and existing grandfathering for structures already in place.

A motion to approve the draft with an added requirement for screening or buffering carried in a roll‑call vote; members stressed permits, engineering signoffs and building‑code compliance for larger accessory structures would remain mandatory.

What happens next: The PAB will forward the recommended code language (including the screening buffer) to city council for ordinance drafting and possible adoption.