The Board of Zoning Appeals is meeting 03/21/2022 at 7:30PM. They will be taking up two variance requests.
The first request is from the owner of a corner lot house on John Street to add on an attached garage to his existing house. The proposed addition would be 12 feet from the front property line but Section 23-92(g)(4) of the Zoning Ordinance requires a 20-foot front yard setback.
This one looks like it will be a hard sell, because there appears to be plenty of space on the property to build a code conforming garage. Inspections Supervisor Kurt Craanen states in his memo to the board, “The applicant has not demonstrated that this particular lot is unique. […] It appears that the applicant has not met the review criteria for a variance because no undue hardships have been identified and there are clear alternatives to meeting the code standards.”
[I once picked up a pretty cool kids toy off the curb of this house, so I some feelings of goodwill toward this property, and I have to say the plan for a garage/workshop looks like it could end up being a pretty cool mancave type area. But, at the same time, I can’t deny that this request seems like a long shot. I’m also somewhat baffled by their choice of garage placement. It’s literally where their front door currently looks to be. I don’t know why the garage couldn’t just be bumped over and attached to the east side of the house instead of the north side which would keep it from being too close to the front lot line.]
The second variance request looks like it has a greater possibility of being approved. The property owner was requesting to place a dumpster enclosure on the south property line. Section 23-43(f)(2) of the Zoning Ordinance requires dumpster enclosures to be 5 feet from the side and rear property line.
This is the site of the former Conway Hotel between City Center and the Transit Center. Merge, LLC has a development agreement with the city to build a mixed-used building with commercial spaces on the first floor and studio and one-bedroom apartments on the other 4 floors. The dumpster enclosure in question would be behind the building between it and City Center.
Staff seems in favor of approving the variance nothing, “The proposed location of the dumpster enclosure is along public alley that is a dead end and secluded from other properties and busy streets. Granting this variance would not harm the public interest or adversely impact other properties.”
View full meeting details here: https://cityofappleton.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=951456&GUID=B408FACD-2DD4-4C0F-B33D-EF96507AB42D
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