Generally speaking, Austin’s Board of Adjustment isn’t wild about granting variances from the Land Development Code to those who have bought their way into a preexisting situation. Luckily for one family in the Rosedale neighborhood, that’s not always the case; on Oct. 12, the board unanimously voted in support of a variance to allow the homeowners […]
Land Development Code
Posted inLand Development Code
BoA consciously postpones Galindo variances
A request for two variances in the Galindo neighborhood forced Board of Adjustment members to think realistically about their future actions last month, and determine whether a postponement was really fair to the applicant. Lauren Jones, speaking on behalf of owner Bryan E. Mayo, explained to the board that the lot at 901 Terrell Hill […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Water-saving code amendments coming
Years after the city’s Water Forward Committee recommended changes to require on-site water reuse systems for commercial development, an item to put the matter into city regulations appears headed for a City Council agenda in December. Austin Water Assistant Director Kevin Crittendon told Council’s water oversight committee Wednesday that the department wants to make changes […]
Posted inLand Development Code
BoA holds off on approval for ‘flipped’ ADU plan
While a request to build an accessory dwelling unit larger than the existing home was not a sticking point, the lack of a preservation plan for a variance that hinged on preservation did present a problem for the Board of Adjustment at its most recent meeting. Matthew Satter, one of the owners of the home […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Environmental benefits fail to win Board of Adjustment dock variance
The Board of Adjustment has made it clear that “the greater good” isn’t enough when it comes to getting an exception from the city to build a boat dock. The requested variance would allow the owner of 3002 Scenic Drive to replace an existing, noncompliant boat dock built by the prior owners of the house. […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Board of Adjustment offers free advice, grants lot size variance
Small lots are not uncommon in East Austin, so the Board of Adjustment regularly grants variances to allow homeowners to maximize such properties. On Sept. 14, the board once again unanimously granted a variance for small lot amnesty to allow for the construction of two residences at 1209 Taylor St. The lot is 103 square […]
Posted inZoning
Planning Commission approves Ben White rezoning request despite staff concerns
At its meeting last week, the Planning Commission unanimously approved a request to rezone 7135 E. Ben White from Limited Industrial Services (LI) to Multifamily Residence – Moderate-High Density (MF-4). The commission approved the application despite staff concerns that the project would continue a trend of the city losing industrial sites. The site was zoned […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Parking requirements jam up decision at the Board of Adjustment
In Austin, the subject of parking has a way of striking a nerve. So when a proposal for an office project at 43 N. Interstate 35 came before the Board of Adjustment on Aug. 10, board members struggled to come to a consensus as to whether reduced parking constituted enough parking. James Schissler, representing the […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Board of Adjustment considers neighboring trees grounds for variance
Last month, the Board of Adjustment postponed the case for the property at 1711 Waterston Ave. in order for the property owners to cobble together a case presenting a valid hardship. This month, the owners of the Clarksville bungalow returned before the board on Aug. 10 and brought their neighbors as a basis for their […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Subdivision change initiated to help homeowner
Council Member Kathie Tovo and her staff have been trying for more than a year to help two constituents in the Bouldin Creek neighborhood solve a complicated subdivision problem that prevents them from building an addition to their 486-square-foot home. A divided City Council took one step forward in providing a remedy for them at […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Board of Adjustment denies sign variance, says it came too early in development process
The north MoPac Expressway by the old Hewlett Packard campus may not appear to be very scenic at first glance. Yet this section of highway is identified as a Scenic Roadway under city regulations, so all road signs must adhere to the corresponding regulations. In the future, the site at 14231 Tandem Blvd. will become a […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Board of Adjustment says maintaining area character is not sufficient hardship
While neighborhood character is an important aspect of design in a historic neighborhood, it is not the only thing the Board of Adjustment takes into account when considering a variance request to modify a home. Architect Ryan Bollom proposed adding a 450-square-foot, one-story addition to a 768-square-foot home in the historically Black neighborhood of Clarksville. At […]