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Board of Adjustment approves multiple property variances across San Antonio docket
Summary
The Board of Adjustment approved a slate of variances including an 8‑foot rear setback variance at 18 Chelsea Way, accessory‑dwelling and fence exceptions at 219 Palo Grande, and several carport and driveway variances; staff recommendations and neighborhood support informed votes.
The San Antonio Board of Adjustment approved a package of variances and exceptions across its docket on Tuesday, voting in favor of homeowner requests that included rear‑setback, accessory structure and fence exceptions and several carport setbacks.
Item 9: staff planner Mark Chavez presented the case for 18 Chelsea Way (BOA2610300106), where the applicant, Michael Almquist, sought an 8‑foot variance to allow an addition to sit 12 feet from the rear property line. Chavez told the board staff recommended approval based on the lot’s irregular shape and the proposal’s separation for safety and runoff mitigation. A motion to grant the variance passed unanimously.
Item 3: at 219 Palo Grande the board approved a 3,715‑square‑foot accessory‑structure variance to allow an accessory dwelling unit and a 6‑foot front‑yard solid fence special exception after the applicant removed razor wire from the property. Neighbors and the owner described the lot as rural and large; the motion passed unanimously after discussion about lot configuration and neighborhood character.
Item 4: a corrugated‑metal fence at 155 Canton Street generated concerns from staff about material and clear‑vision safety. The applicant said the material was installed to address repeated theft and vandalism. Commissioners amended the motion to require caps on corrugated metal, restrict corrugated metal to the north and east sides, and treat the front fence as predominantly open for clear‑vision purposes; the board approved the motion unanimously with those amendments.
Other approvals included carport setback variances at 6316 Cincinnati Avenue and 551 Griggs Avenue (with gutters required), a 100‑square‑foot rear addition allowance at 3614 Shallow Brook Drive, and lot size and setback variances for a renovation at 517 Nevada Street to let an existing footprint be rehabilitated. Several commissioners noted they favored applicants who sought approvals before constructing work (rather than after the fact). Where staff recommended further review (for example, pairing building plan details with CPS engineering), commissioners granted continuances rather than denying appeals.
Chair Orion opened and closed the hearing and confirmed a quorum for votes on the items. Staff and applicants were directed to follow up with permitting and any required encroachment or CPS reviews as needed.
Items approved at the hearing will be reflected in staff’s follow‑up permitting and compliance checks; applicants were reminded to obtain required permits and settle any outstanding encroachment or code‑enforcement matters before proceeding with construction.
