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Board grants 6‑foot setback variance for 2420 East 7th Street after applicant testimony
Summary
The Board of Adjustments approved PUDC‑26‑79 to reduce the street‑facing setback from 25 to 6 feet at 2420 East 7th Street, citing lot constraints and existing utilities; the applicant, Tim Gentleman, said a 2021 roof collapse and COVID delays prevented timely reconstruction.
The Cheyenne Board of Adjustments voted May 21 to grant a variance (PUDC‑26‑79) allowing a 6‑foot building setback from the north property line adjacent to the street at 2420 East 7th Street.
Case planner Morgan Dennis told the board that the request reduces the required 25‑foot setback to 6 feet along the street frontage because the lot has narrow dimensions at the west end and existing water and sewer utilities occupy the narrow portions. Dennis said strict application of the setback could be met by locating a building at the rear of the lot but that would impose a "significant burden to the applicant due to the existing utilities needing to be moved." Staff recommended approval as the minimum necessary adjustment.
Tim Gentleman, the agent for the property, testified remotely after being sworn in. Gentleman described a partial roof collapse during heavy snowfall in March 2021 and said COVID‑era conditions kept the project from meeting the 12‑month reconstruction window. "We did have a a building failure back in March '21. We had a significant, snowfall that year, which we had a partial collapse of the roof," Gentleman said. He asked the board to allow rebuilding with access to existing water and sewer lines to avoid relocating utilities.
A board member moved to approve the variance on the grounds that the application met the review criteria and allowed construction with access to existing utilities; another board member seconded. The roll call resulted in approval.
Why it matters: The variance permits a building to be erected closer to the street than the LI zone normally allows to avoid the cost and disruption of moving utility infrastructure. The applicant cited a documented structural failure and pandemic constraints as the reason reconstruction did not meet the city's 12‑month reconstruction requirement.
What’s next: The approval authorizes the setback relief; the applicant must meet applicable site‑plan and permitting requirements before construction.
