HomeMy WebLinkAboutZoning Board Of Appeals - Minutes - 05/16/1986a •
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
May 16, 1986
Special Meetinng - 8:30 A.M.
Minutes
A special meeting of the Zoning Board of Appeals was held on Friday, May
16, 1986 at 8:30 a.m. in the Council Chambers of the City of Fort Collins
City Hall. Roll call was answered by Boardmembers Lawton, Thede, Dodder,
and Leis.
Boardmembers absent: Lieser, Johnson, Walker.
The minutes of the May 8, 1986 meeting were not prepared for approval.
Appeal No. 1739 Section 118-41 (F) by Steve Barbier of Neighbor to
Neighbor, 604 Ninth Street - Approved.
"---The variance would reduce the required side yard setback along the
north lot line from 5 feet to 2 feet 8 inches for a moved -on house in
the RL zone.
---Petitioner's statement of hardship: The existing house will be
demolished and a different house will be moved onto the lot. The house
that is to be moved on is 42 feet, 4 inches wide, and since the lot is
only 50 feet wide, there is no way to have a 5 foot setback on both
sides. The house will improve the neighborhood.
---Staff recommendation: Approval if there are no objections from the
neighbors, and provided the Building Code can be met.
No notices were returned; no letters were received.
Zoning Administrator Barnes reviewed the appeal, stating that the existing
house was 3 feet 6 inches from the property line, and that Neighbor to
Neighbor is petitioning the Board to set the new house closer - about 2
feet 8 inches from the north lot line.
Petitioner Steve Barbier, of Neighbor to Neighbor, spoke in favor of the
appeal, stating that the house to be moved on was a good quality house that
would improve the neighborhood. The existing house that was to be
demolished did not have an indoor bathroom, and the owners had originally
planned to add a bathroom and rehabilitate the house. Neighbor to Neighbor
did not feel that this would be a good use of funds and proposed to move a
better house on instead.
Boardmember Dodder asked how far the eaves hung over the house. Mr.
Barbier stated that the eaves were about 20" all around the house.
ZBA Minutes, May 0 1986
Page 2
Mr. Dodder pointed out that the eaves would be almost on the lot line with
the requested setback variance. Mr. Dodder asked if the house could be
turned some way to fit on the lot better. Mr. Barbier stated that because
of the floorplan of the house, and the fact that there was a front porch,
turning the house would detract from the value of the house.
Boardmember Leis asked Mr. Barbier if he knew that house was too wide at
the time it was purchased. Mr. Barbier replied yes - but that had been a
problem with every project in the neighborhood. All the lots were only 50
feet wide, which does not conform to the City's current standards. Over
the past 3-4 years Neighbor to Neighbor had moved about 10 homes and built
about 16 in these areas, and the Zoning Board of Appeals had worked very
well with Neighbor to Neighbor in the redevelopment project.
Boardmember Thede expressed her concern that another variance might be
needed because of the overhang of the eaves. Mr. Barnes stated that the
Code would have to be met, and the Building Inspection Department would
specify any requirements. Mr. Barbier stated that he anticipated having to
put in a firewall along the north side because the house was so close to
the lot line.
Boardmember Leis stated although he was in favor of the work being done by
Neighbor to Neighbor, he was not sure it was really a benefit to the
neighborhood to pack the houses in so close. It was his experience that
when houses were built so close together, it was difficult to get between
them to paint, the sun couldn't shine in between them, and junk seems to
collect between the houses. Mr. Barbier stated most of the homes were
donated by developers and were usually only about 24 feet wide. This
particular house was the largest they had ever worked with and posed an
unusual problem with fitting on the lot. Mr. Barbier stated further that
they did the best they could with what they had to work with.
Zoning Administrator Barnes asked how the proposed setback compared to the
one of the house to the north. Mr. Barbier stated that the house to the
north had a 22 foot setback from the fence line and the new house would be
setback about 6-8 feet further. Mr. Barnes suggested that the house could
possibly be setback another 10-15 feet to let light in between the houses.
Mr. Barbier stated that setting the house back further would present a
problem for the house mover because he would not have room to get his steel
out without cutting it.
Boardmember Leis stated that he was concerned that although Neighbor to
Neighbor would be removing all the debris that was on the property, that
the fact that the houses were going to be so close together would encourage
the storage of more junk between the houses, which would be a fire hazard.
Mr. Barbier stated that they were concerned with the accumulation of debris
in the Neighborhood, and were requiring the families to sign a covenant
restricting such activities as junk car storage and the construction of
non -approved outbuildings. Neighbor to Neighbor would be enforcing these
covenants to maintain long term benefits in the community from improvements
that were being made.
ZBA Minutes, May 0 1986 •
Page 3
Boardmember Dodder asked Mr. Barbier if he felt that there was any other
way to adequately situate the house on the lot. Mr. Barbier said no,
setting it on the lot any other way would be ill-advised.
No one spoke in opposition to the variance.
Boardmember Thede made a motion to approve the variance for the hardship
pleaded. Boardmember Lawton seconded the motion. Yeas: Lawton, Thede,
Dodder. Nays: Leis.
The meeting was adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Steve Dodder, Acting Chairman
Peter Barnes, Staff support
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