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Zoning board approves rear-deck variance for Meadowbrook Lane home with conditions
Summary
The Farmington Zoning Board of Appeals approved an area variance allowing a 16-by-16 rear deck to sit 22.4 feet from the rear property line, granting concessions to the applicant for accessibility while placing conditions on construction and future enclosure.
The Farmington Zoning Board of Appeals on Monday approved an area variance allowing a 16-by-16 rear deck to be built 22.4 feet from the rear property line at 1589 Meadowbrook Lane, finding the benefit to the applicant outweighed any known detriment to the neighborhood.
Donna Neil Smith, the applicant, told the board she and her spouse bought the house as their retirement home and requested the larger deck so elderly family members could move more easily: "We are in our 60s. We bought this as our final retirement home," she said, describing concerns that the existing four-foot deck left little circulation for a visiting parent who uses a walker.
Board deliberations noted the property backs to agricultural land within the Ag District, reducing the likelihood of an immediate neighboring dwelling behind the lot. The board discussed the possibility that the area could change in the future if road extensions occur in the town plan, but concluded the applicant's request was modest — the variance reduces the required rear setback by roughly 7.6 inches — and approved the request.
The approval included these conditions: the deck is allowed as a freestanding, open-air structure at the same level as the rear doorway and may not be enclosed for use as habitable space without obtaining additional area variances; construction must follow approved building-permit plans and receive inspections and a certificate of compliance from the Town Code Enforcement Office; exterior materials should match the existing house "to the extent practical," and site lighting must comply with Chapter 165 of the town code.
Clerk Elizabeth Klingenberg explained procedures for issuing the permit and the associated invoice. The board closed the hearing and voted in favor of the variance by voice vote.
The town will issue a building permit after invoice payment and after required inspections are scheduled and accepted. The applicant was advised to work with the Town Code Enforcement Office on permit requirements and timing.
