08-27-09 Regular Meeting and Public Hearing of the La Porte Zoning Board of Adjustment

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Staff Report October 21, 2009 Variance Requests #V09-005 &006 Requested by: Requested for: Location: Zonine:: Back1!round: Analvsis: William Herrick (Property Owner's agent) Lot 20, Block 3, Fairmont Park East Section 12, William M. Jones Survey, Abstract 482, La Porte, Harris County, Texas. 10323 Apple Tree Circle North Low Density Residential (R-l) Per the survey, the land area of this lot equals 6,720 square feet as lot is 60' wide and 112' deep. Minimum yard setbacks for single-family dwelling are front 25', rear 15', and sides 5'. As per plat of the subdivision, 7' and 10' wide utility easements in the rear and a 10' wide utility easement in the front yard are delineated on the subject lot. Per City Ordinance 106-333, Table B, residential area requirements, a minimum setback adjacent to any utility easement located in the rear yard shall be 3 feet. While, the maximum allowable lot coverage for single family detached dwelling unit is 40% for this type oflot. The allowable coverage for the subject lot is 2,688 sq.ft. In order to build an oversized house, the applicant is requesting to consider the following variances on the lot: 1. To waive minimum three feet setback adjacent to utility easement in a rear yard. 2. To allow additional covered area exceeding the maximum lot coverage of 40%. The variance requests seek to allow the house with maximum lot coverage of 52% or approximately 3,500 sq.ft. of roofed area exceeding 812 sq. ft. from the allowable lot coverage. The owner wants to build a 1 ~ story house with two bedrooms downstairs. As per applicant, a second bedroom would accommodate his grandparents, who have trouble with stairs. In addition, a reasonable garage size is desired to have cars and storage place. Section 1 06-192(b )(1), in 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 Section 106-1 defines lot coverage as "... the area under roof on any given lot." While, utility easement is self explanatory.