07-24-08 Regular Meeting and Public Hearing of the La Porte Zoning Board of Adjustment minutes

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Staff Report August 28, 2008 Variance Request #V 08-005 Requested by: Aurelio Garcia (property Owner) Requested for: Lot 54, Block 3; Spenwick Place, Section 1, La Porte, Harris County, Texas. Location: 3227 Ridgefield Road Zoning: Low Density Residential (R-1) Back2round: Applicant is requesting a Variance to allow a fence to remain erected on the property line in the front yard setback. The applicant stated that a fence existed at the site for over thirty years but was taken down recently due to removal or replacement of a house at 3227 Ridgefield Road. Upon application to replace or remove the house, the City Officials informed the applicant of the requirements of the current ordinance. The applicant stated that he would comply with the ordinance, but he wanted to keep the fence in place as it already existed at the site. The applicant submitted a Variance request in order to allow a fence to remain in the front yard setback where it borders even with the neighbor's fence. The applicant has submitted photos of the fence on the neighboring property. The City's Code of Ordinances prohibits a fence placed within the front yard setback in the all zoning districts except large lot residential (greater than 1 acre) and lots directly adjacent to Galveston Bay. Staff analyzed the surrounding area and based upon site inspections and the pictures submitted by the applicant, the following is noted: . As seen in the photos, the existing block containing the residence has existing fences in the front yard setback (Photos to be presented at the meeting). . The requested fence would be in line with the fence of an abutting property owner. . The front portion of the fence in question was an extension of an existing fence constructed in the side yard setback. The standard front yard setback requirement in residential zones for single family detached dwellings is 25'. Per Section 106-791 of the Code of Ordinances, no fence, structure, grading, or barrier hedges shall be permitted within any front yard areas except in the case of large lot residential lot with one or over acre.