11-29-12 Special Called Meeting of the Zoning Board of Adjustment

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Staff ReportNovember 29, 2012 Variance Request #12-93000007 Requested by :Will Connell, GIS Properties Houston, LLC. Requested for :A50’ wide driveway with 25’ radius Location :101 Strang Road, TR 13D-3, STAASHEN Zoning: Heavy Industrial (HI) Background :The subject property is located at the edge of the City limits of La Porte adjacent to the DuPont Industries. Strang Road, a 60’ wide Harris County right-of-way, is a two lane road primarily used for the plant entrance nearthe interchange of State Highway 146 and 225. Last year, the City received a development site plan for the Gulf Intermodal Services facility to be located at 101 Strang Road. Theproject consistsof one-story 7,000 square foot office building, employee parking and tractor/trailer parking lot. The facility has two driveways, southern drive for employees and northern drive primarily for the use of tractors/trailers. The City’s Code of Ordinances allowsa driveway width maximum up to40’ and turning radius up to 15’ for industrial zoning districts. Upon inspection, staff noticed a 50’ wide drivewaynot a 40’ driveway as shown on the approved site plan, which is in violation of the provision of Section 106-835 of the Code of Ordinances. The applicant wasnotified of the violation and responded with arequestforvariance to allow 50’ wide drivewaywith 25’ radiusto remain in place. Analysis :Section 106-192(b)(1), of the Code of Ordinances, defines a variance as a deviation from the literal provisions of the chapter, which is granted by the Board when strict conformity to the chapter would cause an unnecessary hardship because of the circumstances unique to the property on which the variance is granted. Except as otherwise prohibited, the Board is empowered to authorize a variance from a requirement when the Board finds that all of the following conditions have been met: That the granting of the variance will not be contrary to the best public interest.