Avon BZA unanimously denies variance request for Wright's Gymnastics trash enclosure

The Avon Board of Zoning Appeals voted unanimously on April 21 to deny VAR 26-03, a requested variance that would have allowed a trash enclosure in the established front yard of Wright's Gymnastics. Member Paul Guckenberger moved to deny the variance; Marci Taschler seconded and the motion passed 5-0.

Staff presented a report recommending approval of the variance, conditioned on substantial compliance with a conceptual site plan dated March 6, 2026 and received by the town on March 23, 2026. The petitioner, identified in the record as Alt Construction LLC represented by Spaceco, Inc., provided additional details about the request during the meeting. Chair Marcus Turner opened and then closed the public hearing; no outside speakers were recorded during the hearing.

Board members engaged in an extended discussion about whether the application met the town's standard for a practical difficulty—one of the criteria used to justify a variance under the Unified Development Ordinance. After deliberation, the board concluded the applicant had not demonstrated the required practical difficulty and voted to deny the variance. The denial means the proposed trash enclosure must be relocated or redesigned to comply with UDO 5.1(H)(2), which does not permit trash enclosures in the established front yard.

The board's decision was recorded as a formal motion to deny VAR 26-03 that passed by a 5-0 tally. No appeal or next steps were announced during the meeting; town staff will handle any procedural follow-up according to the BZA's rules.