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Routt County Board of Adjustment approves setback adjustment for Phippsburg home
Summary
The Routt County Board of Adjustment on May 11 approved a 3-foot setback adjustment for appellant Levi Herring to add a second story to a 1927 Phippsburg house at 21745 State Highway 131, subject to conditions including snow guards and a three-year construction commencement requirement under Section 4.9.B of the Routt County UDC.
On May 11, 2026, the Routt County Board of Adjustment voted 5–0 to approve a 3-foot side-setback adjustment that will allow appellant Levi Herring to add a second story onto an existing, legally nonconforming residence at 21745 State Highway 131 in Phippsburg.
Herring told the board the roughly 100-year-old house is cramped and that the family prefers a second-story addition rather than demolishing the structure and building new. He said the project keeps the existing footprint intact, preserves outdoor space and natural light, and that a green shed encroaching on the north setback will be removed. Herring also said he had discussed the plans with his neighbor and that the neighbor was not concerned about snow sliding from the roof; Herring said he will add snow guards to the roof edge.
Planning staff presented the application (PL2026014) and the property history. Staff planner Greg Jaeger noted the dwelling, shed and shop were built in 1927—before Routt County adopted zoning in 1972—and described the site as a legal nonconforming lot in the Historic Town (HT) zone district. Jaeger explained that the Unified Development Code (UDC) excludes roof overhang from the encroachment calculation and that the applicant’s plans reduce the north overhang to meet the building-code allowance; he also presented photos and the site plan.
Board members questioned snow-guard sizing, siding materials and whether the addition would increase nonconformity. Todd Pedersen and Brian Kelly observed the addition would occupy the same footprint and would not increase the degree of nonconformity; Pedersen voiced support, saying the project would improve safety, preserve the historic structure and allow better use of the property. The new roof pitch was described by the applicant as 6:12, and siding options mentioned included intentionally rusted corrugated steel or logs to match the house.
Mr. Kelly moved to approve the adjustment; Mr. Blau seconded. The board adopted seven findings of fact describing hardship due to the pre-zoning construction of the dwelling, minimum-deviation necessity, compatibility with nearby properties, and no expected diminution of adjacent property values. The approval carries conditions including: adherence to the submitted plans; compliance with Chapter 3 development standards (lighting, utilities, stormwater, access, parking, landscaping and snow storage); that no part of the structure, including roof overhangs, be less than 2 feet from the north property line; installation of snow guards along the north roofline to prevent snow trespass; and that construction must commence within three years per Section 4.9.B of the Routt County UDC or the adjustment will be subject to another review.
The motion carried unanimously, 5–0.
The approval allows the applicant to move forward under the stated conditions; the adjustment will be administratively reviewed if minor, non-conformance-increasing changes are proposed, but larger changes will require a new application.
