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Planning commission approves waiver to reduce Baylor Street driveway setback
Summary
The Charles Town Planning Commission approved a waiver allowing a Baylor Street property to reduce an adjacent setback from 5 feet to 4 feet, after staff said the lot has 20 feet of alley frontage and the alley is not city-maintained.
The Charles Town Planning Commission on Jan. 27 approved a waiver allowing a property that fronts an alley off Baylor Street to reduce the required side-yard setback for a driveway from 5 feet to 4 feet.
James, a city staff member who delivered the report to the commission, said the subject parcel has 20 feet of width along the alley while the city standard for a driveway is a 12-foot width plus 5-foot setbacks from adjacent properties (22 feet total). "He's only got 20," James said, summarizing the applicant's constraint and explaining the request for a reduced setback.
The staff report noted that Baylor Street itself is a city-maintained road and was plowed during recent storms, but the alley that would provide direct access to the parcel is not maintained by the city. James said the alley is roughly 140 feet long from Baylor Street to the parcel and that the property owner and adjacent owners would be responsible for clearing snow in the alley.
During brief discussion commissioners examined overhead maps and site conditions, noting buildings and vehicles in the area that appear to occupy space along the alley. The applicant was present and had the opportunity to answer questions; no members of the public opposed the waiver during the meeting.
The chair moved to approve the waiver "as recommended by staff," a motion was seconded and the chair announced the motion carried by voice vote. "Your waiver is approved, sir," the chair said after the vote.
The action grants the requested reduction from a 5-foot to a 4-foot setback for this driveway; the commission did not attach any additional conditions beyond the staff recommendations discussed at the meeting. The commission made no changes to city maintenance policy for alleys; the limited maintenance status of the alley remains in place and responsibility for upkeep was described as belonging to property owners.
The commission moved on to new business after approving the waiver, and staff recorded the approval for the file.
