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April 16, 2019 Page 4 of way line. The applicant’s request is to construct a stairway at a setback of 25.6 feet. The applicants further suggest that the requested stoop is reasonably sized to accommodate a landing for entry into the home – a common feature – and then steps to access the landing both toward the street and to the side. A sidewalk toward the side would then extend around the house to facilitate rear yard access from this point. The proposed design does not appear to be out of character with the neighborhood. Moreover, a landing of the size proposed by the applicants would not be able to be constructed fully within the setbacks as defined by the adjoining properties. The proposed landing and steps are reasonably sized, in character with the site and the neighborhood, and appear to meet the requirements of the variance criteria as listed in the code. As noted above, staff recommends approval of the variance for the front yard encroachment for the proposed steps as shown in the applicants’ application. B. Side Yard Setback Variance. The applicants propose to add sidewalk access between the front and rear yards, extending the sidewalk from the front steps to a new landing behind an existing enclosed porch area. Walkways on private property are not required to maintain a separate setback, however, patios are required to maintain a minimum 5 foot setback from a side property line. The code does not define “sidewalk” or “walkway”. The code defines “patio” as follows: PATIO. A courtyard or other finished exterior ground surface open to the sky constructed of rock, brick, concrete, stone, or similar materials and commonly used for relaxation, socializing, or dining. The general City Code references to sidewalk and walkway apply almost exclusively to public sidewalks, but also do not define the term. In common usage, a sidewalk is a pedestrian pathway, and in residential applications, is normally between 3 and 5 feet in width. This appears to be the current condition on much of the subject property, and common in the nearby neighborhood. This portion of the application has changed since the original notice. There are three separate aspects to be aware of: (1) The as-constructed paved area; (2) The revised plans that propose to modify the existing paved area, but still require variance; and (3) The staff recommendation for this paved space.