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8330 Groveland Road Variance Report May 20, 2015 Page 2 b. The variance is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan does not specify setback criteria, but it does support improvements to properties. c. The applicant proposes to use the property in a reasonable manner not permitted by this Title or the City Code. The applicants are requesting to place the garage next to the house, which is a location that works better for the family, and makes the property more usable and updated. d. Unique circumstances apply to the property which do not apply to other properties in the same zone or vicinity and result from lot size or shape, topography or other circumstances over which the owner of the property since the enactment of this Title has had no control. The unique circumstances do not result from the actions of the applicant. This house was originally built in 1959 and was placed about 130 feet back from the street. The detached garage was added in 1973 and the swimming pool was installed in 2000, which essentially took up most of the remaining backyard area. e. The variance does not alter the essential character of the neighborhood. The applicant’s neighborhood consists of half-acre sized lots, and the applicant’s house has wooded area screening the front yard. The new garage will be a nice improvement to the property and would not be very visible from the street. f. The variance requested is the minimum variance which would alleviate the practical difficulties. Economic conditions alone do not constitute practical difficulties. The 2-foot variance is the minimum variance needed in order to have a 2-car garage and a walkway space between the house and garage wide enough to be usable. g. The Planning Commission may impose such conditions upon the premises benefited by a variance as may be necessary to comply with the standards established by this Title or to reduce or minimize the effect of such variance upon other properties in the neighborhood, and to better carry out the intent of the variance. The condition must be directly related to and must bear a rough proportionality to the impact created by the variance. A wetland buffer permit will be required with the building permit. The Planning Commission may add other conditions as they see applicable. Public Hearing: As with any requested variance, this application requires a public hearing. Staff mailed notices to all property owners within 350 feet of the applicant’s property and a notice was published in the Sun Focus newspaper on Friday, May 8, 2015. Staff has received one comment in support of the variance request as of May 15, 2015.