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I. PROJECT DESCRIPTION/BACKGROUND
DATE OF BOA MEETING: July 11, 2006
LOCATION: The site is located at 2031 Monida Court, within the Town of
Estes Park. Legal Description: Lot 68
Carriage Hills, Seventh Filing.
PETITIONER/OWNER: David
Habecker/Harlalee A. and Sandra L.
Wilson
STAFF CONTACT: Alison Chilcott
APPLICABLE LAND USE CODE:
Estes Valley Development Code
(EVDC)
REQUEST: The petitioner requests a variance to EVDC §4.3.C.5 Table
4.2, which requires a minimum setback of fifteen feet from the
frontproperty line in the “R” Residential zoning district.
Specifically the petitioner requests a 4.6-foot variance to allow a 10-foot-
by-16.4-foot, one-story sunroom addition to the existing single-family
home, with the addition to be located 5.4 feet from the front property line.
If this variance is approved, the sunroom addition would connect to the
master bedroom. Also, an existing deck, which in the same location as, but
smaller than the proposed addition, would be removed.
2031 Monida Court
Front-Yard Setback Variance Request
Estes Park Community Development Department
Town Hall, 170 MacGregor Avenue
PO Box 1200
Estes Park, CO 80517
Phone: 970-577-3721 Fax: 970-586-0249 www.estesnet.com
Page #2 – Front-Yard Setback Variance Request for 2031 Monida Court
II. SITE DATA AND MAPS
Number of Lots One
Parcel Number(s) 34011-25-068
Gross Land Area 0.31 acres 13,503 sq. ft. per Tax Assessor
Existing Zoning “R” Residential
Existing Land Use Single-Family Residential
Proposed Land Use Same
SERVICES
Water Town of Estes Park
Sewer Upper Thompson Sanitation District
Fire Protection Town of Estes Park Volunteer Fire Department
Gas Xcel Energy Company
Electric Town of Estes Park
Telephone Qwest
HAZARDS/PHYSICAL FEATURES
Mapped Hazard/Physical Feature Applicable to this Site?
Wildfire Hazard No
Geologic Hazard No
Wetlands No
Streams/Rivers No
Ridgeline Protection No
Critical Wildlife Habitat Yes - Elk
LOCATION MAP
Page #3 – Front-Yard Setback Variance Request for 2031 Monida Court
AERIAL PHOTO
SITE PLAN
III. REVIEW CRITERIA
All variance applications shall demonstrate compliance with the standards
and criteria set forth in Chapter 3.6.C and all other applicable provisions of
the Estes Valley Development Code.
This variance request does not fall within the parameters of staff-level
review and will be reviewed by the Estes Valley Board of Adjustment.
Page #4 – Front-Yard Setback Variance Request for 2031 Monida Court
IV. REFERRAL COMMENTS
This request has been submitted to all applicable reviewing agency staff and
neighboring property owners for consideration and comment. The following
reviewing agency staff and/or adjacent property owners submitted
comments.
Estes Park Public Works Department See Greg Sievers’ memo to Alison
Chilcott dated July 11, 2006.
Fire Chief See Scott Dorman’s email to Alison Chilcott dated June 20,
2006.
Town Attorney See Greg White’s letter to Alison Chilcott dated June 19,
2006.
Upper Thompson Sanitation District See Reed Smedley’s letter to Alison
Chilcott dated June 20, 2006.
V. STAFF FINDINGS
Staff finds:
1. Special circumstances or conditions exist (e.g., exceptional
topographic conditions, narrowness, shallowness or the shape of the
property) that are not common to other areas or buildings similarly
situated and practical difficulty may result from strict compliance
with this Code’s standards, provided that the requested variance
will not have the effect of nullifying or impairing the intent and
purposes of either the specific standards, this Code or the
Comprehensive Plan.
Staff Finding: There are special circumstances associated with this lot
that are not common to most lots in the “R” Residential zoning district
and practical difficulty may result from strict compliance with the Code
standards. The following circumstances exist: the existing house
encroaches into the setbacks and there is an existing deck in the same
general location as the proposed addition.
2. In determining "practical difficulty," the BOA shall consider the
following factors:
Page #5 – Front-Yard Setback Variance Request for 2031 Monida Court
a. Whether there can be any beneficial use of the property without
the variance.
Staff Finding: There can be a beneficial use of the property without
the variance. The house can continue to be used without the
sunroom addition.
b. Whether the variance is substantial.
Staff Finding: The variance is not substantial given that only
approximately ninety square feet will encroach into the setback.
c. Whether the essential character of the neighborhood would be
substantially altered or whether adjoining properties would
suffer a substantial detriment as a result of the variance.
Staff Finding: Staff finds that the essential character of the
neighborhood will not be substantially altered and that adjoining
properties will not suffer a substantial detriment as a result of the
variance. No neighbors have submitted comments in support or
opposition to the variance.
d. Whether the variance would adversely affect the delivery of
public services such as water and sewer.
Staff Finding: Utilities in the right-of-way should be shown on the
plan, as requested by Public Works. Once utilities are shown, staff
will review the plan to ensure that the variance does not affect the
delivery of public services. Eaves should be shown on the site plan
and cannot encroach into the five-foot utility easement. This may
require some redesign.
The Fire Chief has reviewed the new exposure distance to the
adjoining property and determined that ISO requirements will not be
changed or affected.
e. Whether the Applicant purchased the property with knowledge
of the requirement.
Staff Finding: The property was purchased prior to the February 1,
2000 effective date of the Estes Valley Development Code and
without knowledge of the requirements. The minimum-required
setbacks have increased since the property owner purchased the
property.
Page #6 – Front-Yard Setback Variance Request for 2031 Monida Court
f. Whether the Applicant's predicament can be mitigated through
some method other than a variance.
Staff Finding: A smaller addition could be built or an addition
could be built in a different location that meets the setbacks.
3. No variance shall be granted if the submitted conditions or
circumstances affecting the Applicant's property are of so general
or recurrent a nature as to make reasonably practicable the
formulation of a general regulation for such conditions or
situations.
Staff Finding: The submitted conditions or circumstances affecting the
applicant's property are not of so general or recurrent a nature as to
make reasonably practicable the formulation of a general regulation for
such conditions or situations.
4. No variance shall be granted reducing the size of lots contained in
an existing or proposed subdivision if it will result in an increase in
the number of lots beyond the number otherwise permitted for the
total subdivision, pursuant to the applicable zone district
regulations.
Staff Finding: The variance, if granted, will not reduce the size of the
lot.
5. If authorized, a variance shall represent the least deviation from the
regulations that will afford relief.
Staff Finding: The Board should use their best judgement to determine
if the variance offers the least deviation from the regulations to afford
relief.
6. Under no circumstances shall the BOA grant a variance to allow a
use not permitted, or a use expressly or by implication prohibited
under the terms of this Code for the zone district containing the
property for which the variance is sought.
Staff Finding: The proposed use is permitted.
7. In granting this variance, the BOA may require such conditions as
will, in its independent judgment, secure substantially the objectives
of the standards varied or modified.
Page #7 – Front-Yard Setback Variance Request for 2031 Monida Court
8. This request has been submitted to all applicable reviewing agency staff
for consideration and comment. All letters and memos submitted by
reviewing agency staff, referred to in Section IV of this staff report, are
incorporated as staff findings.
VI. STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends APPROVAL of the requested variance
CONDITIONAL TO:
1. Compliance with the submitted site plan, with the exception that eaves
shall be shown on the site plan to verify that eaves do not encroach into
the five-foot utility easement.
2. Compliance with the comments in the Public Works’ memo dated July
11, 2006.
3. A registered land surveyor shall set the survey stakes for the building
foundation forms. After the footings are set, and prior to pouring the
foundation, the surveyor shall verify compliance with the variance and
provide a setback certificate. Setback certificates shall also be submitted
for the decks and patios.