Garrett Owens wins council backing for garage setback variance

Garrett Owens told the Kirkland Town Council on May 11 that he was seeking a favorable recommendation for a variance that would allow him to build a garage 31 feet from the center of the road — a placement he said sits on his property outside the roadway but closer than the 46 feet some site reviewers wanted.

“I’m just looking for a favorable recommendation for a variance,” Owens said, explaining that the proposed location avoids removing trees he and his family had paid to plant and that it fits the pattern of accessory structures on nearby lots.

Town planning staff (Cat) told council members that an average‑setback calculation did not apply in Owens’s case because the subject house and a neighbor to the south meet the 15‑foot front setback. Staff reviewed the three legal criteria the council and the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) will consider for a variance: whether the change would injure the neighborhood, whether it would affect property values, and whether a practical difficulty exists on the property.

Staff also noted the BZA is the body that decides variances under the county unified development ordinance and that the council’s recommendation would be advisory. “You have the ability to consider the nature of the neighborhood,” a staff member said, cautioning that trees Owens planted could be deemed a self‑imposed difficulty by the BZA.

Council members who spoke said the plan appeared to avoid sight‑line issues and that the structure would sit behind an existing privacy fence. After discussion and an express call for a motion, the council voted to recommend the variance to the BZA; the council’s vote was advisory and does not guarantee BZA approval.

Next steps: Owens was told he may submit the formal application to the county’s appeals board; the council will send a letter documenting its favorable recommendation.