Council approves setback variance for Southgate Road garage

The City Council voted to approve an appeal by the property owner at 1503 Southgate Road to reduce the corner‑side setback from 15 feet to 10 feet for a proposed small detached garage.

Jonathan Miller (speaker 8), the architect for the Albrechts, told council the request covered roughly 60 square feet and would sit on an 18,000‑square‑foot lot. He said the site’s tapering rear property line and the existing house location make alternative placements inconsistent with neighborhood scale and would increase impervious paving; he said the proposal would actually reduce impervious area by removing an existing single‑car garage and repaving a smaller area.

Rob Frost (speaker 9), counsel, summarized the five standards in section 16.3 of the zoning code that must be met for a variance, including demonstration of exceptional circumstances, deprivation of reasonable use (not mere loss in value), minimum adjustment necessary, and harmony with the code and neighborhood welfare.

Council member Honeycutt (speaker 2) said the lot is irregularly shaped and that the request is limited and not injurious to the neighborhood; he moved to approve the appeal. Other members agreed and the council approved the motion by voice vote.

The mayor declared the motion carried. The appeal approval was recorded via voice vote; no roll‑call breakdown was taken in the transcript.