HomeMy WebLinkAboutVA200200011 Review Comments 2002-05-14 STAFF PERSON: Jan Sprinkle
PUBLIC HEARING: May 14, 2002
STAFF REPORT VA-2002-011
OWNER/APPLICANT: Southern Property, LLC
TAX MAP/PARCEL: 062D0-06-0D-00100
ZONING: R-6, Residential
ACREAGE: Approximately 3000 square feet
LOCATION: 1280 Chatham Ridge Road, River Run Subdivision
TECHNICAL REQUEST AND EXPLANATION: The applicant requests relief from
Section 16.3, Area and Bulk Regulations of the R-6 district, which requires a 20-foot
rear yard. Section 4.11 .1 reduces the rear setback to 16 feet for covered porches,
balconies, chimneys, eaves and like architectural features. Therefore, a variance of two
feet is requested to allow a recently constructed deck to remain as constructed, only
fourteen feet from the rear property line.
RELEVANT HISTORY: ZMA 79-22 was approved with a proffer limiting the density to
six dwellings per acre on August 16, 1979. The original subdivision plat creating this lot
was approved in May 1986 and revised in 1988. The building permit for this townhouse
that was issued in July 2001 mentioned the deck in the application, but it was not shown
on the building plans.
PROPERTY DESCRIPTION AND QUALIFYING CONDITIONS: This property was
acquired in good faith by Southern Property, LLC in July 2001. The parcel was created
in 1986 under the current Zoning Ordinance regulations. This is a small, regularly
shaped townhouse lot. It does not have any topographic conditions that may be
considered in variance criteria. There is a newly-constructed retaining wall that runs
through all of the parcels in this block directly behind the structures. This property is
improved with a single-family townhouse including a garage.
This builder started this construction with "open eyes" knowing what the setbacks were.
The plat he submitted with the building permit application clearly showed the 20-foot
rear setback. There is no reason why each of the homes in this block were not and
could not be provided with an at-grade patio rather than a raised deck. The decks are
required to meet setbacks while at-grade patios are not required to meet setbacks.
Therefore, the simple solution (albeit costly to the developer) is to remove the deck on
this unit (and the other units) and create the same outdoor living area at the ground
level. Enlargement of the area by future owners is also easier, and presents no
enforcement issues. The property has reasonable use with the dwelling. A deck is not
a necessary accessory to a home, and further, having a home without a deck does not
constitute a hardship.
Variance Report, VA 2uuz-011 2 May 14, 2002
This variance is one of two within the same block of homes that you are hearing today.
These two are on each end of a block of townhouses. The other three homes within the
block also have decks already constructed, but have not requested variances to date.
Should one or both of these variances be approved, the others will doubtless be before
you in the near future.
APPLICANT'S JUSTIFICATION AND STAFF COMMENT: A review of the variance
criteria provided by the applicant and comments by staff follows:
Hardship
The applicant comments that the variance is necessary because:
• The units would not be able to have a back deck.
As previously stated, the lack of a deck does not constitute a hardship. Staff cannot
identify any hardship as described under the Code of Virginia relating to granting a
variance in this case.
1. The applicant has not provided evidence that the strict application of the
ordinance would produce undue hardship.
Uniqueness of Hardship
The applicant notes:
• Most other units (townhomes) in River Run have back decks. Since those units
wrap the cul-de-sac, the setback and building lines are difficult to work with.
Since there is no hardship, there is nothing to be unique. Ground level outdoor living
areas can be just as attractive to homeowners as decks are.
2. The applicant has not provided evidence that such hardship is not shared
generally by other properties in the same zoning district and the same
vicinity.
Impact on Character of the Area
The applicant offers:
• Deck space backs up to a retaining wall and other units are far away.
• There will be no effect on neighboring units.
C:IMy DocumentslCurrent Review\Variance Reports\VA-2002-011RiverRun.doc
Variance Report, VA 2uuz-011 3 May 14, 2002
Staff agrees that the construction of a deck on this unit will not change the character of
the district. Staff notes that there are two buildings in the Clifden Greene section of
River Run that are within 75 to 100 feet of the deck on this dwelling. However, if there
is outdoor usage at the rear of this unit, the effect on the neighbors will be the same
whether it comes from a deck or a patio. The only difference will be that one complies
with our regulations and the other does not.
3. The applicant has provided evidence that the authorization of such
variance will not be of substantial detriment to adjacent property and that
the character of the district will not be changed by the granting of the
variance.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Since only one of the three criteria has been met, staff
recommends denial of the variance. However, should the Board of Zoning Appeals find
cause to approve the request, staff recommends the following condition:
This variance applies only to the deck described in this report and built under
BP-2001-994. Any future additions must meet the regulations at the time of
application and construction.
C:IMy DocumentslCurrent Reviews Variance Reports\VA-2002-011RiverRun.doc
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