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Decatur board approves variance to let detached garage be built before primary home
Summary
The Board of Zoning Adjustments unanimously approved a variance allowing an accessory structure to be built before a primary residence and to be located forward of the building line for a parcel east of 4870 Crusher Road SE, citing the site’s irregular shape, topography and heavy vegetation as hardships.
The Decatur Board of Zoning Adjustments voted unanimously to approve a variance that allows an accessory structure to be built before a primary dwelling and to stand forward of the front building line for a parcel east of 4870 Crusher Road Southeast.
Planning department staff presented Variance 260331022 and said the property, owned by Bill and Jonah Voss, sits on the outskirts of the city, is heavily vegetated and has an irregular shape and topography that create a hardship. The staff recommendation noted that the department is reviewing zoning revisions to allow accessory structures on agricultural lots in some situations.
“The hardship in this case arises from the unique physical characteristics of the property and the parcel’s irregular shape,” the planning department representative said. Staff also told the board the visibility of both the proposed accessory structure and future residence will be significantly limited by existing vegetation.
Petitioner Bill Voss told the board the detached garage will be closer to the road but oriented so it will be largely screened. He said the permit for the primary home is a week or two away and that construction timing for the house and the accessory structure will be similar. “We’re just waiting on the final drawings so that we can pull permit on that,” Voss said.
Board members asked whether the accessory structure would meet the front-yard setback. Planning staff confirmed a minimum front-yard setback of 50 feet and the chair indicated that a motion could include the condition that the structure meet at least that minimum.
A motion to approve the variance was made and seconded. In the roll call recorded by the chair, members Ayers, Paul, Heard, Moody and Baggett voted yes and the chair announced the variance approved.
The approval allows the petitioner to proceed with permitting under the condition that normal setback requirements are satisfied during the permitting process. The petitioner thanked the board and said he would follow up with the planning department on permit details.
