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Commission denies setback variance for Green Valley addition amid access, code concerns
Summary
The Planning and Zoning Commission denied a request to reduce the 15‑foot side yard setback at 1028 Green Valley Road, rejecting a 3‑ft‑7‑in variance that would have placed two small additions roughly 11 ft 5 in from the west property line. Staff found the lot and topography did not meet the hardship standard; the measure failed 5‑2.
The Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque Planning and Zoning Commission on Feb. 11 denied V251, a request to allow two small additions at 1028 Green Valley Road to encroach into the required 15‑foot side yard setback.
Staff planner Brennan Williams told the commission the applicant asked for a 3‑ft‑7‑in variance so the additions would sit about 11 ft 5 in from the west property line. Williams recommended denial, saying the property’s width (measured at approximately 112 feet) exceeds the lot‑width threshold for the A‑1 zone and that topography and nearby nonconforming buildings do not establish the unnecessary‑hardship criteria required by code.
The applicant’s agent, Maya Mullen, described the proposed work as two small "bump‑outs" totaling roughly 70–75 square feet designed to improve the home’s functionality and to mitigate moisture issues in the existing slab. "This is less than 70 square feet," Mullen said, arguing the changes would be minimally visible from the street and would be sympathetic to neighborhood character. Owner Bri Love Lady said the additions would create a master suite and help address water‑wicking that is warping interior flooring.
Neighbors who addressed the commission offered mixed views: one nearby resident said the project would "affect nobody" and improve the property, while commissioners raised concerns about emergency vehicle access, the permanence of adjacent fences and the village’s long‑term goal to address nonconforming setbacks.
After discussion the commission moved to deny the variance. Commissioners Barrow and Martinez indicated they would have favored granting the exception, but a majority cited the code’s strict unnecessary‑hardship standards and the need for a broader setback review before making exceptions. The roll‑call motion to deny carried 5‑2 and the V251 hearing was closed.
The denial leaves the owner without approval to place the two bump‑out additions as proposed; any future revision or new variance application would need to address the staff findings and the commission’s concerns about access and precedent.
Votes at a glance: Motion to deny V251 — passed 5 yes, 2 no.
