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REQUEST:
PROJECT INFORMATION AND STAFF COMMENTS
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BOA 10/22/01
Variance from Section 3..7 (2)(B) — rear yard
setbacks for zero -lot -line and townhouse
dwellings contained in Resolution No. 98-45,
Battlement Mesa PUD
APPLICANT: Roan Cliff Corporation
Richard L. & Gladys M Witt
LOCATION: Lots 8 & 9, Block 2, The Fairways, Phase I of
the Battlement Mesa PUD
SITE DATA: Approximately 4162 sq. ft. and 4342 sq. ft.
WATER/SEWER: Battlement Mesa Metropolitan District
ACCESS: Hogan Circle off of Palmer Drive
EXISTING ZONING: MDR — Medium Density Residential
Battlement Mesa PUD
I. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSAL
A. Site Description: The subject properties are located on a loop street within a subdivision
with detached zero -lot -line patio homes located within the Fairways Subdivision within
the Battlement Mesa PUD. Improvements on the lots include an existing single-family
home on each lot. A subdivision plan and site plan are included with this report.
B. Request: The applicant is requesting a variance from the required twenty-five (25) foot
rear yard setback, to correct an error in the placement of the existing dwelling units
located on the lots in question. The proposed variances would place the dwelling on Lot
8, 14.8 ft. from the rear lot line and the unit on Lot 9, 15.5 ft. from the rear lot line. The
applicant has stated that the encroachments were a result of incorrect staking of the
building locations on very small lots. (See application pgs. 4-7D )
II. MAJOR ISSUES AND CONCERNS
A. Zoning: Sections 3.7 (2)(B) — rear yard setbacks for zero -lot -line and townhouse
dwellings contained in Resolution No. 98-45, Battlement Mesa PUD requires that a rear
yard setback of 25 ft. be observed for any house located in the MDR zone district that is
accessed from the alley and has a rear facing garage.
B. Section 9.05.03 states that "by reason of exceptional narrowness, shallowness or shape of
the specific piece of property at the time of this resolution or by reason of exceptional
topographic conditions or other extraordinary and exceptional situation or condition of
such piece of property," the Board may authorize a variance. In addition, the Board must
also find that:
1. That the variance granted is the minimum necessary to alleviate such practical
difficulties or undue hardship upon the owner of said property; and
2. That such relief may be granted without substantial detriment to the public
good and without substantially impairing the intent and purpose ofthe General
Plan or this Resolution; and
3. That the circumstances found to constitute a hardship was not caused by the
applicant, are not due to or the result of general conditions in the district, and
cannot be practically corrected; and
4. That the concurring vote of four (4) members of the Board shall be necessary
to decide in favor of the applicant.
C. Staff Comments: The proposed variance is the result of incorrect staking of the
structure corners, which resulted in the houses being placed in the present locations. It
appears that the applicants intended to meet the setback requirements. Staff feels that
the proposed variance was the result of a hardship created by the applicant and that the
hardship can be practically corrected by the applicant and with the cooperation of the
Battlement Mesa Partners. To require the applicant's to remove a section ofthe existing
structure would create an unnecessary hardship that would ultimately result in the
complete demolition of the buildings and rebuilding them within the building envelopes.
There is a remedy to the situation that does not require a variance. The applicant's, with
the concurrence of the Battlement Mesa Partners, could propose an amendment to the
PUD zoning and amend the Final Plat to create building envelopes consistent with the
amended zoning. This can be done without the Board of Adjustment granting a variance
The approval of a variance will result in conflict with the Final Plat approved for the
Fairways Subdivision. All of the lots have specific building envelopes that are shown on
the plat, within which all structures are supposed to be located. The building envelopes
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are consistent with the setbacks required by the zoning. Any approval of the requested
variance should require the applicants to file an amended plat for Lots 8 and 9 of the
Fairways subdivision, Phase I, as a part of any approval given for the variance. If an
amended plat is not recorded, there is no recorded record of the variance since the County
does not record the decisions of the Board of Adjustment in the public record. All files
are kept in the County Planning Department files.
IV. SUGGESTED FINDINGS
1. That the application for Variance was not found to be consistent with the requirements
and standards of Section 9.05 of the Garfield County Zoning Resolution of 1978, as
amended.
2. That proper publication and public notice was provided as required for the public hearing
before the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
3. That the variance requested has a practical solution that does not require a variance.
4. That the public hearing before the Zoning Board of Adjustment was extensive and
complete, that all facts, matters and issues were submitted and that all interested parties
were heard at the meeting.
V. RECOMMENDATION
DENIAL of the requested variance due to a practical solution to the problem being available
by amending the PUD and the Final Plat for the Fairways Subdivision.
Any APPROVAL of the proposed variance as requested, should be subject to the applicants
filing an amended plat for Lots 8 and 9 of the Fairways subdivision, Phase I, with building
envelopes consistent with the variance approval.
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•
The Battlement Mesa Company
August 24, 2001
Board of Adjustment
Garfield County, Colorado
Re: Variance requests of Roan Cliff Corporation
and Richard L. and Gladys M. Witt
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Battlement Mesa Partners is the developer of Battlement Mesa PUD. A portion of the
development is a subdivision known as "The Fairways". The Fairways is designed to contain
seventy one (71) homes. Phase I of the development has been approved and seven (7) homes
have been constructed. Four (4) of the homes have been sold to persons other than
Roan Cliff Corporation and Mr. and Mrs. Witt. The undeveloped lots in The Fairways, Phase I,
are owned by Battlement Mesa Partners.
Roan Cliff Corporation and Mr. and Mrs. Witt have explained to us the problem with
the siting of the homes on Lots 8 and 9 of Block 2 and the masonry fence encroachment on the
common area. We have been furnished a copy of their Application for Variance. We have
inspected the homes relative to the location on the Lots and have considered the impact and effect
thereof relative to the remaining lots in Phase I. We are of the opinion that granting the variance
as requested by the applicants will have no adverse impact upon The Fairways and request that
the Board of Adjustment grant their request.
If the Board has any questions that it feels our company can answer or desires further
information, please contact the undersigned.
Thomas B. Beard, President
Battlement Mesa Company
copy: Roan Cliff Corporation
Richard L. and Gladys M. Witt
NARRATIVE
EXHIBIT D
P.O. Box 6000 • Battlement Mesa, Colorado 81636 • 970-285-9740 • Fax 970-285-9721
APPLICATION FOR VARIANCE
TO: Garfield County Board of Adjustment
FROM: Roan Cliff Corporation and Richard L. Witt and Gladys M. Witt
Re: Variance to accommodate set -back violations
DATE: August 30, 2001
Applicants are the owners of Lots 8 and 9, Block 2, The Fairways, Phase I,
Battlement Mesa, Colorado. The Fairways is a subdivision located in Battlement Mesa, the first
Phase of which contains eighteen (18) lots. Homes have been constructed on seven (7)
of those lots. The attached plat (denominated Exhibit A) shows the locations of the lots upon
which homes have been constructed, including the two (2) lots for which variances are now being
requested.
The building envelopes for Lots 8 and 9, Block 2, require a ten (10) foot set -back on
the front of the Lots and a twenty-five (25) foot set -back on the rear of the Lots. The homes
were constructed with a front yard set -back of twenty point two (20.2) feet on Lot 8 and
nineteen point six (19.6) feet on Lot 9. In effect, the homes were located approximately ten (10)
feet deeper on the front of the Lots than required and approximately ten (10) feet deeper to the
rear than allowed. See copies of Improvement Surveys for Lots 8 and 9 attached hereto as
Exhibits B and C. Variances are hereby requested from the strict application of the set -back
requirements for the improvements now located on the Lots.
The location of the homes was caused by a misinterpretation of the plat of
The Fairways by the person locating the homes on the Lots. The Fairways, Phase I, is designed
for the construction of "patio homes" which allow a home to be constructed on one of the
property lines without any set -back. The lots in a patio home development are narrow and allow
little, if any, adjustment for the location of the home. It must fit the tight building envelope
imposed on each lot. In the case of the two Lots for which variances are now being requested,
the person siting the homes on the two Lots located them approximately ten (10) feet too deep on
the Lots.
Granting the variances will not affect any utilities, streets or other public amenities.
Granting the request will not affect the homes located across the street from the subject Lots.
There are no homes located southeasterly of the Lots and none across the alley from the Lots.
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Except for the homes located across the street from the Lots, all other lots in Phase I are owned
by applicant Roan Cliff Corporation and Battlement Mesa Partners. Battlement Mesa Partners
requests that the variances be granted as appears in Exhibit D attached hereto.
Not granting the variances herein requested would result in peculiar and exceptional
hardship upon the owners of the Lots. The requested variances are the minimum necessary to
alleviate the practical difficulties and undue hardships upon the owners of the Lots; will cause no
detriment to the public good; will not substantially impair the intent and purpose of the general
plan or subdivision and zoning resolutions of the County of Garfield; the circumstances were not
caused by the applicants; are not due to or the result of general conditions in the district; and
cannot be practically corrected.
It is, therefore, requested that the following variances be granted:
1. The rear yard set -back for lot 8 be set at 14.8 (14.8) feet;
2. The rear yard set -back for Lot 9 be set at fifteen point five (15.5) feet;
Respectfully submitted,
Roan Cliff Corporation
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Cheri Witt Brown, President
Gladys M. Witt
copy: Battlement Mesa Partners