HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003 - Zoning Board Of Appeals - Annual ReportZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
2003 ANNUAL REPORT
BACKGROUND:
The Zoning Board of Appeals consists of seven members. Meetings are held the
second Thursday of every month in the Council Chambers at City Hall. The Board may
also meet as needed in order to convene special meetings.
Members who served in 2003 are William (Butch) Stockover, Andy Miscio, Steve
Remington, David Lingle, Robert Donahue, Alison Dickson, and Dwight Hall. Steve
Remington and David Lingle served as chairperson and vice -chairperson, respectively.
Alison Dickson and Dwight Hall served on the Board as new members in 2003.
Council liaison to the Board is Karen Weitkunat. Staff support was provided by Peter
Barnes, Stacie Soriano and Paul Eckman.
2003 YEAR IN REVIEW:
During 2003, the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) acted on 49 variance requests
to the City Land Use Code and on 2 appeals of staff interpretations. Forty-six of
the variance requests were granted, many with conditions, time limits or
modifications. Three requests were denied. Both of the staff interpretation
appeals resulted in the Board upholding staff. One of the staff interpretation
decisions was subsequently appealed to City Council.
The 51 applications received in 2003 is the highest number of applications
received by the Board since 1987.
In addition to the 51 applications acted on during the year, the Board also spent
time reviewing proposed Land Use Code amendments and providing staff with
comments and input regarding the comprehensive spring and fall code change
ordinances.
The staff interpretation decision that was upheld and subsequently appealed to
City Council involved a staff interpretation regarding the appropriate
neighborhood boundary for a certain property. Specifically, the owner of the
2003 ZBA Annual Report
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property at the southwest corner of Harmony and Shields appealed the staff
interpretation that Shields Street is the eastern boundary of the neighborhood in
which the property is located. The applicant disagreed with staff's interpretation
of the Land Use Code and City Plan, being of the opinion that a proper
interpretation would result in the eastern boundary of his neighborhood being
extended east across Shields to include the Harmony Library and Front Range
Community College. The ZBA upheld staffs interpretation, concluding that
Shields Street is the eastern boundary of the neighborhood.
The ZBA appeal was heard by City Council on April 1, 2003. The Council
unanimously determined that the ZBA properly interpreted and applied the
relevant provisions of the Code in upholding staffs interpretation.