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ARB grants waivers for pool and equipment setbacks at 911 South High, citing village‑center lot size
Summary
The ARB approved exterior changes and granted two waivers March 9 for a 911 South High Street property in the village center — allowing paved areas to be 7 ft 6 in from the property line (vs. 15 ft) and pool equipment to sit 3 ft from the property line — finding that a five‑foot brick wall and compact lot meet the intent of separation.
The New Albany Architecture Review Board approved March 9 a certificate of appropriateness for exterior modifications at 911 South High Street and granted two waivers from the city’s setback standards, finding the village‑center lot’s small size and proposed screening met the ordinance’s intent.
Staff described the property as a compact village‑center lot and said the 15‑foot suburban standards for pool and equipment setbacks do not fit the site’s context. The application includes a 336‑square‑foot detached garage, a 5‑foot brick privacy wall, a pool described by the applicant as an architectural feature, and three off‑street parking spaces at the rear.
Todd Parker, the applicant’s architect, said the owners intend to live on site and described the pool as largely decorative: “The pool is more of an architectural feature,” he said. Staff and board members noted the proposed brick wall and garage placement add screening and argued those features substitute for the 15‑foot separation intended by the code.
Board members debated precedent: one member said waiver requests are more common outside the village center and that the village center’s unique lot sizes justify a different approach; another member said she was uncomfortable granting a waiver absent compelling constraints. The board moved in separate motions: it first approved the certificate of appropriateness (6–0), then approved waiver A (paved areas to 7 ft 6 in) on a 5–1 vote, and finally approved the equipment setback waiver (3 ft) on a 6–0 vote.
The board recorded the reasons on the record and asked staff to note that the village‑center context differs from suburban lots where the 15‑foot standard is commonly applied. The waivers apply only to this project; staff said the village center’s small‑lot context reduces the usefulness of the standard suburban setback in this location.
