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Board approves variance allowing artificial turf in backyard play area at 29 Williscomb
Summary
The New Albany Board of Zoning Appeals approved Variance 30-2024 to allow artificial turf covering about 5% of the rear yard at 29 Williscomb for a children's play area after staff said it did not find evidence the turf caused neighborhood stormwater ponding.
Chair La Jeunesse called the Board of Zoning Appeals to consider Variance 30-2024, a request to allow artificial turf in part of the backyard at 29 Williscomb where code requires living turf grass. City staff told the board the property is in New Albany Country Club Section 6 and that the turf covers roughly 5% of the lot.
Staff said the application was originally tabled in May because the property owner did not attend. The variance request followed a neighbor complaint about ponding; after inspection, staff reported it found "no evidence that the artificial turf ... impacts the stormwater runoff," characterizing the issue as a private dispute and noting there is no public easement for stormwater conveyance.
Property owner Miss Baron told the board she bought the house in 2020 and has long struggled with a swampy yard. She said she spent thousands to regrade the yard and install French drains and that the turf (installed by a contractor) sits over gravel for drainage. "I had no idea it wasn't allowed," she said, and offered to plant screening at her expense if neighbors wanted it.
Board members and staff discussed alternatives to turf, including mulch and regrading; staff said alternate landscape materials can be allowed subject to review by the city landscape architect but the code expressly prohibits artificial turf without a variance. After discussion the chair moved to approve the variance; the motion was seconded and the board approved the variance (motion passed with five votes).
The board admitted the staff documents into the record and closed consideration of the case. There were no conditions recorded on the variance in the meeting transcript beyond the board's approval and admission of documents.
