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• Meeting Date 7/22/91 Agenda Item E-1 Attachment 4 MEMO DATE: July 16, 1991 TO: Planning Commission FROM: Susan Hoyt, City Planner RE: Variance request for 1530 Iowa from 9-2.06 (f)(4) of the zoning code The property owner at 1530 Iowa Street is requesting a variance to allow him to install an eight foot fence alongside the westside of his deck for 24 ft, where his property is within 16 feet of his neighbor's home. The raised deck is designed with benches whose top is almost six feet from the ground. Therefore, the property owner feels that a six foot high fence • does not provide adequate privacy for people seated or standing by the benches because it does not extend higher than they are. Currently, a line of deciduous shrubs between nine and ten feet tall act as a screen between the two properties. However, the property owner feels this screen is not adequate due to its seasonal nature. An evergreen tree between the two properties provides a modest screen, but it appears to be dying. Mr. Bowers and I discussed an alternative to requesting a variance proposed by the city's building official. This alternative is to build a safety railing along the side ~of the deck that would reach above the seats, to the height where an eight foot high fence would reach. This is allowed in the building code and zoning code. However, due to the angled seats on the deck this would be impossible without redesigning the deck's bench arrangement. Therefore, Mr. Bowers chose to pursue the variance request to add the necessary height. If granted, the variance will not substantially change the character of the two properties since it will be adjacent to taller bushes, fairly near the house and run next to a raised deck. It will be part of a six foot or lower fence on the remainder of the property. A variance of a lower fence height (e.g. 7 1/2) could accomplish the privacy, but might be a difficult size to purchase. sH/ds •