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Board tables Camp Street variance after debate over kitchen and rental use
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Summary
The Board of Zoning Appeals voted to table a request to reestablish an accessory dwelling with cooking equipment at 337–339 Camp Street so staff can draft citywide standards for garages/ADUs. Staff had recommended conditional approval but said the ADU definition excludes cooking equipment.
The Sandusky Board of Zoning Appeals voted to table an application to reestablish an accessory dwelling with cooking equipment at 337–339 Camp Street, saying staff should first return with standards governing garages and accessory dwelling units.
Planning staff presented the application and told the board the request was submitted by property owners Constantine and Katerina Gabbro to reestablish accessory living accommodations that would include a kitchen. "Section 11 o 7.01 defines accessory living specifically excluding cooking equipment," planning staff said, and recommended approval only on the condition that all building, engineering and other applicable permits are obtained and that construction meet modern codes.
Evan McKenzie Ackerman, the applicants' representative, told the board the accessory building contains a full sink and an oven. "There is an oven and a full sink... there is cooking equipment in there," Ackerman said, and said the structure was originally built as a residence and had been allowed to become nonconforming when it sat vacant.
Board members pressed staff on whether the kitchen predated the ordinance and on whether the accessory-living definition permits charging rent. Member Wes Poole warned that the ordinance language limits accessory living to occupants, guests, employees or nonpaying transients and cautioned the board about creating a precedent that could be cited in future cases.
The chair moved to table the application "until staff has an opportunity to put some standards together" and said those standards would likely require text amendments to the zoning code and review by the planning commission and city commission. The motion to table was approved by roll call.
The board did not decide the variance tonight. Staff and the applicants will be notified about the next steps and the item will return after statutory amendments and staff recommendations are prepared.
