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Council approves pool setback variance at 1109 Park Lane SE for Schefflers
Summary
The council approved a variance allowing an in-ground pool to be sited as close as 4 feet from a house or deck at 1109 Park Lane SE, reversing the usual 10-foot setback because wetland easements restrict placement; the planning commission and building official recommended the reduced setback.
The New Prague City Council granted a variance that lets applicants Ben and Anne Scheffler place an in-ground pool at 1109 Park Lane SE as close as 4 feet from the house or deck, reducing the usual 10-foot setback required by city code.
'Ken,' a planning staff member, described constraints on the property caused by a delineated wetland and associated easement on the north end of the lot. He said the wetland buffer "really restricted the pool to be pushed up much closer to their house than a typical backyard would see," and noted the planning commission recommended allowing a 4-foot setback based on staff findings. The staff summary also cited a building-official recommendation that a 4-foot minimum distance from foundations is appropriate for pools.
Ken told the council the applicants had not pursued a wetland-quality assessment because of the cost, and that allowing a reduced setback was the less expensive option for the homeowners. A council member moved to adopt resolution 25-09-02-02 to approve the variance; the motion was seconded and the council approved the measure by voice vote (passage announced as "Passes 4 0").
The approval is conditioned on the findings listed in the resolution and the development plan contained in the meeting packet. The council record shows the planning commission considered options — including a possible 6-foot setback — before recommending the 4-foot standard that the building official supported.
