P-3 C15-2019-0057

Board of Adjustment – Jan. 13, 2020

P-3 C15-2019-0057 — original pdf

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P-3/1 P-3/2BOA GENERAL REVIEW COVERSHEET CASE: C15-2019-0057 BOA DATE: November 7, 2019 ADDRESS: 1304 & 1310 Willow St COUNCIL DISTRICT: 3 OWNER: Jennifer Conroy AGENT: same ZONING: SF-3-NP (East Cesar Chavez NP) LEGAL DESCRIPTION: E43 FT AV OF LOT 18 OLT 33 DIV O CANTERBURY SQUARE & W32.5 FT OF LOT 19 OLT 33DIV O CANTERBURY SQUAREVARIANCE REQUEST: Special Exception SUMMARY: unpermitted Secondary Dwelling Unit ISSUES: encroaching into interior side setback ZONING LAND USES Site SF-3-NP Single-Family North SF-3-NP Single-Family South SF-3-NP Single-Family East SF-3-NP Single-Family West SF-3-NP Single-Family NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS: Austin Independent School District Austin Lost and Found Pets Austin Neighborhoods Council Bike Austin Del Valle Community Coalition East Austin Conservancy East Cesar Chavez Neighborhood Association East Cesar Chavez Neighborhood Plan Contact Team East Town Lake Citizens Neighborhood Association El Concilio Mexican-Americal Neighborhoods Friends of Austin Neighborhoods Greater East Austin Neighborhood Association Guadalupe Neighborhood Development Corporation Homeless Neighborhood Association Neighborhood Empowerment Foundation Neighbors United for Progress Preservation Austin SEL Texas Sierra Club, Austin Regional Group Tejano Town P-3/3October 29, 2019Jennifer Conroy1304 Willow St Austin TX, 78702 Property Description: E43 FT AV OF LOT 18 OLT 33 DIV O CANTERBURY SQUARERe: C15-2019-0057 Dear Jennifer, Austin Energy (AE) has reviewed your application for the above referenced property, requesting that the Board of Adjustment consider variance(s) from the following sections from the Land Development Code, Section 25-2-476 (B) (3) (a) (i) (Special Exceptions); from Section 25-2-492 (D) (Site Development Regulations); To decrease the interior side yard setback from 5 feet (required) to 3 ft. 6 inches (requested) in order to maintain a Garage Apartment that has been at this location for at least 25 years in a “SF-3-NP”, Single-Family Residence zoning district. (East Cesar Chavez Neighborhood Plan)Austin Energy does not oppose request provided any proposed and existing improvements follow AE clearance criteria requirements, The National Electric Safety Code and OSHA. Any removal or relocation of existing electric facilities will be at owners/applicants’ expense.Please use this link to be advised of our clearance and safety requirements which are additional conditions of the above review action: https://library.municode.com/tx/austin/codes/utilities_criteria_manual?nodeId=S1AUENDECR_1.10.0CLSAREIf you require further information or have any questions regarding the above comments, please contact our office. Thank you for contacting Austin Energy. Eben Kellogg, Property Agent Austin EnergyPublic Involvement | Real Estate Services2500 Montopolis DriveAustin, TX 78741(512) 322-6050 P-3/4From:Jennifer ConroyTo:Ramirez, Elaine;Subject:1304 and 1310 Willow St BOA Special Exception hearing postponement requestDate:Thursday, November 07, 2019 2:02:14 PM*** External Email - Exercise Caution ***Hi Elaine,Per our phone call today I need to request a postponement of my BOA SpecialExceptions hearing due to the discovery of LDC 25-2-476 which states that I need apermit and inspection and report prior to the hearing. I was not aware of thisrequirement until our phone call today.For my own records, I understand the purpose of the inspection and report is toassure there are no life, health or public safety issues.For your information I have already filed a Residential Review Application, a TreePlan Review, and a Partial Demolition Review (2019-204081-PR). I have alsoreviewed my application with a Tech Reviewer and Austin Energy as requested byWill Clifton in advance of submitting my application (both said it looks ok). In addition,I have been cleared by Michelle Casillas for both lots in a Lot Status Determination. I understand my initial application was to be rejected because I am in process ofgetting my Unified Development Agreement, and so the status in your system showsit has been rejected. For the UDA I am currently awaiting an affidavit of lien form frommy mortgage lender (Chase) for 1304 Willow Street, and have completed an affidavitof no lien for 1310 Willow St. I will submit these documents as soon as I get aresolution from Chase. Please let me know if there is anything further I need to submit for my case to moveforward.Thank you for your assistance.Best wishes,Jennifer Conroy1304 and 1310 Willow St cc: Elaine Ramirez, Jonathan Longoria, Will Clifton, Tyler Johnson Jennifer L. Conroy, Dr.P.H., M.P.H.Community and Public Health StrategistEvidence-based, results-oriented design,implementation, and evaluation consultation. P-3/5(512) 971-4536 cell Owner, Potter, Instructorwww.TwoGoatsPottery.com"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way in which its animals aretreated"~ Mahatma GandhiCAUTION:This email was received at the City of Austin, from an EXTERNAL source.Please use caution when clicking links or opening attachments. If you believe this to be amalicious and/or phishing email, please forward this email to CSIRT@austintexas.gov. P-3/62NDWILLOWCANTERBURYCESAR CHAVEZWALLERNAVASOTAATTAYACGARDENNAVASOTA±SUBJECT TRACT!!!!!!PENDING CASEZONING BOUNDARY1 " = 139 'This product is for informational purposes and may not have been prepared for or be suitable for legal,engineering, or surveying purposes. It does not represent an on-the-ground survey and represents only theapproximate relative location of property boundaries.This product has been produced by CTM for the sole purpose of geographic reference. No warranty is madeby the City of Austin regarding specific accuracy or completeness.NOTIFICATIONSCASE#:LOCATION:C15-2019-00571304 & 1310 Willow Street P-3/7Development Services Department One Texas Center | Phone: 512.978.4000 505 Barton Springs Road, Austin, Texas 78704 Board of Adjustment General/Parking Variance Application WARNING: Filing of this appeal stops all affected construction activity. This application is a fillable PDF that can be completed electronically. To ensure your information is saved, click here to Save the form to your computer, then open your copy and continue. The Tab key may be used to navigate to each field; Shift + Tab moves to the previous field. The Enter key activates links, emails, and buttons. Use the Up & Down Arrow keys to scroll through drop-down lists and check boxes, and hit Enter to make a selection. The application must be complete and accurate prior to submittal. If more space is required, please complete Section 6 as needed. All information is required (if applicable). For Office Use Only Case # __________________ ROW # ___________________ Tax # ____________________ Section 1: Applicant Statement Street Address: __________________________________________________________________ Subdivision Legal Description: ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ Lot(s): _________________________________ Block(s): _____________________________ Outlot: _________________________________ Division: _____________________________ Zoning District: ___________________________________________________________________ I/We ________________________________________________ on behalf of myself/ourselves as authorized agent for ________________________________________________ affirm that on Month , Day , Year , hereby apply for a hearing before the Board of Adjustment for consideration to (select appropriate option below): Erect Attach Complete Remodel Maintain Other: ____________ Type of Structure: ______________________________________________________________ P-3/8Portion of the City of Austin Land Development Code applicant is seeking a variance from: ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ Section 2: Variance Findings The Board must determine the existence of, sufficiency of, and weight of evidence supporting the findings described below. Therefore, you must complete each of the applicable Findings Statements as part of your application. Failure to do so may result in your application being rejected as incomplete. Please attach any additional supporting documents. NOTE: The Board cannot grant a variance that would provide the applicant with a special privilege not enjoyed by others similarly situated or potentially similarly situated. I contend that my entitlement to the requested variance is based on the following findings: Reasonable Use The zoning regulations applicable to the property do not allow for a reasonable use because: ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ Hardship a)The hardship for which the variance is requested is unique to the property in that:____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ b)The hardship is not general to the area in which the property is located because:____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ P-3/9Area Character The variance will not alter the character of the area adjacent to the property, will not impair the use of adjacent conforming property, and will not impair the purpose of the regulations of the zoning district in which the property is located because: ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ Parking (additional criteria for parking variances only) Request for a parking variance requires the Board to make additional findings. The Board may grant a variance to a regulation prescribed in the City of Austin Land Development Code Chapter 25-6, Appendix A with respect to the number of off-street parking spaces or loading facilities required if it makes findings of fact that the following additional circumstances also apply: 1.Neither present nor anticipated future traffic volumes generated by the use of the site or theuses of sites in the vicinity reasonably require strict or literal interpretation and enforcement ofthe specific regulation because:____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ 2.The granting of this variance will not result in the parking or loading of vehicles on publicstreets in such a manner as to interfere with the free flow of traffic of the streets because:____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ 3.The granting of this variance will not create a safety hazard or any other condition inconsistentwith the objectives of this Ordinance because:____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ 4.The variance will run with the use or uses to which it pertains and shall not run with the sitebecause:____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ P-3/10Section 3: Applicant Certificate I affirm that my statements contained in the complete application are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. Applicant Signature: ____________________________________________ Date: _____________ Applicant Name (typed or printed): ___________________________________________________ Applicant Mailing Address: __________________________________________________________ City: ________________________________________ State: ________________ Zip: _______ Phone (will be public information): ____________________________________________________ Email (optional – will be public information): _______________________ Section 4: Owner Certificate I affirm that my statements contained in the complete application are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. Owner Signature: ______________________________________________ Date: _____________ Owner Name (typed or printed): ______________________________________________________ Owner Mailing Address______________________________________ City: ________________________________________ State: ________________ Zip: _______ Phone (will be public information): ____________________________________________________ Email (optional – will be public information): _____________________ Section 5: Agent Information Agent Name: ____________________________________________________________________ Agent Mailing Address: ____________________________________________________________ City: ________________________________________ State: ________________ Zip: _______ Phone (will be public information): ____________________________________________________ Email (optional – will be public information): ____________________________________________ Section 6: Additional Space (if applicable) Please use the space below to provide additional information as needed. To ensure the information is referenced to the proper item, include the Section and Field names as well (continued on next page). _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ P-3/11Additional Space (continued) _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ P-3/12§ 25-2-476 - SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS. (A) The Board of Adjustment shall grant a special exception for an existing residential structure, or portion of an existing structure, that violates a setback required under Chapter 25-2 ( Zoning ) if the board finds that the special exception meets the requirements of this section. (B) The Board shall grant a special exception under Subsection (A) of this section if: (1) the residential use for which the special exception is sought is allowed in an SF-3 or more restrictive zoning district; (2) the building official performs an inspection and determines that the violation does not pose a hazard to life, health, or public safety; and (3) the Board finds that: (a) the violation has existed for: (i) at least 25 years; or (ii) at least 10 years, if the application for a special exception is submitted on or before June 6, 2017; (b) the use is a permitted use or a nonconforming use; (c) the structure does not share a lot with more than one other primary residence; and (d) granting a special exception would not: (i) alter the character of the area; (ii) impair the use of adjacent property that is developed in compliance with city code; or (iii) grant a special privilege that is inconsistent with other properties in the area or in the district in which the property is located. (C) A special exception granted under this section: (1) applies only to the structure, or portion of a structure, for which the special exception was granted and does not run with the land; (2) may not authorize an increase in the degree of noncompliance or excuse compliance with minimum health and safety requirements; and (3) may not authorize a remodel or addition to the existing structure, except to the extent required by the building official to meet minimum life and safety requirements. (D) A structure granted a special exception under this section shall be treated as a non-complying structure under Chapter 25-2, Article 8 ( Noncomplying Structures ). Source: Ord. 20110526-098; Ord. 20121108-091; Ord. 20130822-126; Ord. No. 20160519-057, Pt. 2, 5-30-16 . P-3/13Scanned by CamScanner P-3/14Scanned by CamScanner P-3/15Scanned by CamScanner P-3/16Scanned by CamScanner P-3/17Scanned by CamScanner P-3/18Scanned by CamScanner P-3/19Scanned by CamScanner P-3/20Scanned by CamScanner P-3/21 P-3/22 P-3/23 P-3/24 P-3/25 P-3/26 P-3/27 P-3/28To: Board of Adjustment, Elaine Ramirez Cc: Austin Code Enforcement Re: BoA case #c15-‐2019-‐0057 at 1304 Willow St. October 3, 2019 Dear Board of Adjustment Members, I serve as the East César Chavez Neighborhood Plan Contact Team’s residential representative for Sector 7, the ECC sector in which Ms. Jennifer Conroy’s property is located. I write to support the requested variance at 1304 Willow St., case #c15-‐2019-‐0057. The non-‐conforming structure in question was built prior to 1935; granting a variance to setback requirements at the side of Ms. Conroy’s property line by grandfathering this structure will enable her to come into compliance with the city. Two smaller structures sit in the back yard behind Ms. Conroy’s principal structure, which is her homestead. The first is an ADU, which she seeks to use as a short-‐term rental (STR). The second is a detached structure that she rents to a long-‐term tenant. The second detached structure, which houses the long-‐term tenant, sits 3.5 feet from the side property line, violating setback requirements. The structure in question should be grandfathered, however; it is documented on a 1935 Sanborn map in its current location, and was built long before current setback requirements existed. A similar variance was granted in 2017 for a property at 1303 Cesar Chavez St., adjacent to Ms. Conroy’s rear property line. In that case, the BoA approved a 5-‐foot setback for new, two-‐story residential construction (the attached Sept. 7, 2017 Public Hearing Notice details the approved variance request). Importantly, Ms. Conroy needs to obtain a certificate of occupancy for her property in order to obtain an STR license and comply with the city’s STR ordinance. Though she is making a good faith effort to obtain an STR license and come into compliance, however, Ms. Conroy cannot obtain a certificate of occupancy unless the variance is granted. Aside from the permit situation (which she is making every effort to rectify), Ms. Conroy is a model STR operator. Her STR is well managed and integrates seamlessly into the neighborhood. Ms. Conroy lives on-‐site and is selective about her tenants, ensuring that they do not disrupt her neighbors’ residential quality of life. Having lived next to two nuisance STR properties over the past few years, I can testify to the fact that such conscientiousness in STR operators is unfortunately not always the case. The City of Austin should support STR operators who, like Ms. Conroy, are good actors, when reasonable requests such as this arise. It’s also important to note that the long-‐term rental structure in need of a setback variance provides much needed housing. This is precisely the kind of residential density Austin hopes to provide for in the forthcoming code rewrite, which aims to produce additional housing capacity in the form of multiple units on one lot. In sum, Ms. Conroy is making every effort to come into compliance, but is currently unable to obtain a certificate of occupancy through no fault of her own, but due to a non-‐conforming structure built prior to 1935. I urge you to grant her variance request that she may obtain the required STR license and continue to provide much-‐needed rental housing to her long-‐term tenant. Sincerely, Kristen Hotopp 1213 Garden St. Sector 7 Residential Representative, East César Chavez Neighborhood Plan Contact Team P-3/29 P-3/30 P-3/31From:To:Ramirez, ElaineSubject:1304 and 1310 Willow St letter of supportDate:Friday, November 01, 2019 5:44:47 PM*** External Email - Exercise Caution ***Sent from Yahoo Mail on AndroidCAUTION:This email was received at the City of Austin, from an EXTERNAL source.Please use caution when clicking links or opening attachments. If you believe this to be amalicious and/or phishing email, please forward this email to CSIRT@austintexas.gov. P-3/32