Impact
WARD: 3
COMMITTEE: Community Development
$ IMPACT: N/A
Title
Public Hearing - Variance Request - V18-001 - Allow increase in fence height from four feet to six feet in a front yard on corner lot - Land Lot 593 - 0.33 acres - 1606 Walker Street - Forrest and Christine Ainsworth
Body
ISSUE: The applicant is requesting a variance to increase the allowable fence height in a front yard from four feet to six feet at 1606 Walker Street. The maximum height for a fence in the front yard is required based upon the standards associated with Section 501.10 of the Zoning Code. The subject parcel is a corner let with frontage on Walker Street and Mathews Street, thus creating two front yards.
BACKGROUND: None.
RECOMMENDATION/REQUESTED ACTION: The applicant is requesting to deviate from the City’s maximum allowable fence height in the front yard (Section 501.10 of the Zoning Ordinance) at 1606 Walker Street. According to Section 1403 of the Zoning Ordinance, variances must be reviewed under the following standards: (1) Whether there are unique and special or extraordinary circumstances applying to the property; (2) Whether any alleged hardship is self-created by any person having an interest in the property; (3) Whether strict application of the relevant provisions of the code would deprive the applicant of reasonable use of the property; and (4) Whether the variance proposed is the minimum variance needed. Community Development has reviewed the request against the variance review standards and found it to be in compliance. Community Development does believe there are sufficient privacy and security concerns that justify approval of the request. Additionally, several variances have been granted for similar requests throughout the City. At the time of this report Community Development has not received any opposition regarding the request. Therefore, Staff recommends approval of the requested variance.
REQUESTED ACTION: The License and Variance Board hold a public hearing per Section 1400 of the Smyrna Code.