BOZA approves setback variance for 1912 duplex at 2529 9th Street

The Boulder Board of Zoning Adjustment on Aug. 16 approved BOZ2026-00008, granting a site-front (south) setback variance for a renovation at 2529 9th Street. Robbie, a city staff planner, told the board the property is an early-20th-century duplex that is "legal nonstandard" for setbacks and that staff was recommending approval under the variance criteria.

Robbie said the lot is about 6,580 square feet in RMX-1 zoning and that the applicant seeks a south/front setback of roughly 14.6–14.8 feet where 25 feet is required; the existing house sits about 1.2 feet from that line. "Staff is recommending support and approval of BOZ26Dash00008 as it has been presented," Robbie said. The staff report noted the recent code change (cited in the record as BRC 9 8 3) brought the property into density conformity but that the house remains nonstandard because of its historic placement.

Alex, the project's architect with Mountain Design Build, described cramped, nonconforming bathroom layouts in both units and said the proposal would add a small west-side extension to provide a functioning water closet, sink, shower and laundry while keeping fixtures in roughly the same locations. "We're really seeking the minimum ... area that we need in order to build a fully functioning and conforming bathroom," Alex said, noting relocation of plumbing was not feasible.

Board members expressed support. Drew said the request was "very reasonable," and Craig called the change "about as minimal as they can do apart from fully moving a bathroom," citing the practical difficulty of relocating plumbing. Craig moved to approve BOZ2026-00008 on the grounds of criteria H1 a–d and H5; the motion was seconded and carried with recorded Aye votes from Katie, Drew, Craig and the chair. The motion passed and the variance was adopted "as submitted," according to the record.

The staff noted several technical items—solar-access diagrams, bulk-plane checks and height verification—will be confirmed during building-permit review. No neighbors or members of the public submitted correspondence or spoke during the hearing.