04-12-2021 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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5. LA21-000020 JACOB BROWN, 4085 WATERTOWN RD, VARIANCES (STAFF: LAURA OAKDEN) Jacob Brown & Stacy Kromenhoek, Applicants, were present. Staff presented a summary packet of information. The Applicant is requesting a lot area, lot width, front yard setback, and side yard setback variances to allow for a new home on 4085 Watertown Road. The Planning Staff is recommending approval on these requested variances. Currently the property has a non- conforming single-family home which is outlined on the survey on screen. The property is non-conforming. With respect to area, it is .64 acres and measured at the road is about 93 feet wide. This is the RR1A zoning district which is a five-acre zoning district, and 300 feet in width. The Applicant noted overall height is roughly 35 feet from final grade to peak height, following the City code calculations for defined height, Staff has actually calculated the proposed height of the home to be 28.3 feet so it is meeting the height requirements of City code. Oakden said the Applicant has identified practical difficulties, the overlapping side yard setbacks, as seen on the survey there is a 50-foot side yard setback and she showed from the north side and the south side completely overlapping, eliminating that building envelope. Oakden noted the substandard lot area, lot width, and there is also quite a bit of slope in getting to the narrow part of the property. Staff agrees with the Applicant’s findings of the reasons for practical difficulties. The Applicant is proposing to move the house further away from the front yard setback than the existing home footprint and working to bring that home closer into conformity. The existing home sits about 21 feet from the road and the Applicant is proposing a farther setback of 35.4 feet from the road. The required front yard is a 100-foot setback. The Applicant worked to find a narrow house design of 28 feet in width to try and accommodate some spacing and side yard setbacks, closely maintaining that existing house footprint. The proposed home was designed to create as large setbacks as possible and the Applicant is requesting 19 feet to the property line because of the proposed deck stairs, and 23 feet to the west property line and that is measured from the closest point (noted on screen) due to the strange configuration of the lot with the small jut-in on the property line. Lot area and lot width variances are because the lot is substandard in the new house construction. Staff found supportive findings for the proposed variance included in the memo. The Applicant submitted letters of support from the two abutting neighbors. Staff recommends approval of the requested lot area, lot width, front, and side yard setback variances. Ressler noted the zoning is what is making this a bit of a rat’s nest as there is 19 for one side setback and 23 on the other; they are going to 35 as proposed to 21 right now for front yard setback. Oakden stated that is correct. 21 was the existing house and 35 is the proposed house, so they are bringing the house slightly farther back away from the road. Ressler said improving the position. Oakden replied that is correct. Stacy Kromenhoek and Jacob Brown, 1025 West Cove Lane. Mr. Kromenhoek thanked the Commissioners for voting for the bees - as future neighbors in that area they are thrilled to hear that. She also thanked the City Planners who were immensely helpful as this is a very difficult process and they really held the Applicant’s hands. As the Commissioners see they have a very unique lot, she is difficult but quite pretty and they are trying to make a best attempt at meeting all the setbacks or at least improving their compliance to the setbacks. They chose a very narrow house design that would probably fit within the room they are standing in now and pulled it as far back off the road as possible. They also tried to reorient the house – it was sitting at a funny angle on the lot – so they could get equal setbacks on both sides. They have met with the neighbors and spent a considerable amount of time talking with them and let them know they were trying to make it equal on both sides. She noted it is about 22 feet on the other side except for those stairs