Board of Adjustment Meeting - August 26, 2020
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Board of Adjustment Meeting - August 26, 2020
The Tempe Board of Adjustment convened on August 26, 2020, via WebEx due to COVID-19 social distancing requirements. The meeting covered approval of previous meeting minutes and a variance request for Discount Tire Company. All votes were unanimous.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Meeting Minutes (July 22, 2020): The Board approved the study session and formal meeting minutes from July 22, 2020, with a vote of 6-0 (Kevin Cullins abstained due to non-attendance).
Public Comments & Testimony
- During the neighborhood outreach for the Discount Tire variance, two comments were received (both citing noise concerns). The applicant conducted a noise analysis and concluded the increase would be imperceptible to nearby residences. No additional public comments were made at the meeting.
Discussion Items
- Variance Request (PL190191): Discount Tire Company, located at 1709 East Southern Avenue, requested a variance to increase maximum lot coverage from 50% to 75% for a 1,376-square-foot exterior addition and 866-square-foot interior renovation. The property is zoned PCC-1 (Planned Commercial Center Neighborhood District). The applicant (Quak Trong, Architectural Resource Team) explained that the existing building is legally nonconforming due to a subdivision plat that created a small parcel with 70% coverage; the addition would bring it to 72%. Staff (Lee Jimenez, Senior Planner) supported the variance, stating it meets the four criteria: special circumstances (parcel size), deprivation of privileges enjoyed by other properties in the district (other lots have lower coverage), no grant of special privileges, and circumstances not self-imposed (subdivision plat approved by city). Conditions of approval are standard. The Board had no questions and voted unanimously to approve.
Key Outcomes
- Approval of Minutes: Motion passed 6-0 (1 abstention).
- Variance Approval: Motion passed 7-0. The variance allows up to 75% lot coverage. Subsequent steps include a use permit (reviewed by Development Review Commission) and minor development plan review (staff level).
Meeting Transcript
All right, ladies and gentlemen, we will convene our Board of Adjustment Regular Session Study. Welcome everyone. We're glad that you could join us online. This is Board of Adjustment for August 26, 2020. Now I've been asked to uh read the following statement. Uh due to the COVID-19, uh, we are obeying Governor Ducy's social distancing requirements, and we have a full quorum with us via WebEx. The public may go to the City of Tempe website, Board of Adjustment page, and fill out the comment card for their comments on today's meeting until public comments are deemed closed. So if you're wishing to make comment on our case tonight, um City of Tempe website, Board of Adjustments, and there should be a button that you press and can fill out a form there. The City of Tempe Board of Adjustment is authorized by the Arizona Revised Statutes and the City of Tempe Zoning Ordinance. Its function is to grant relief where a literal enforcement of the zoning ordinance would result in an unnecessary property hardship to interpret provisions of the zoning ordinance for variances and to hear appeals from any person or city official aggrieved by the decision of a person responsible for the enforcement of the zoning ordinance, uh such as zoning administrator and hearing officer abatements. The board has the City of Tempe Community Development Staff Summary Reports on the item being considered at this meeting, and we'll use this report in their deliberations. So let me also point out who we have with us tonight, folks. Um I have with me in council chambers, Mr. Steve Abramson and Miss Brittany Nelson. We also have joining us by way of WebEx, Mr. Ryan LeVake and Mr. Lee Jimenez. And then our board members for tonight. We have with us board member Jack Confer, board member uh vice chair James Frazy, board member Kevin Cullins, board member Ron Keege, Board Member Richard Watson, and board member Whitney Baker, and I am Chairman David Lyon. Our first order of business on the agenda then will be to take a motion regarding the approval of the study session and regular session meeting minutes from July 22nd. Um can I hear a motion regarding the approval of those, please? Uh board member Baker. Thank you, Chairman. I make a motion that we approve these meetings as is. Okay, do I hear a second? Second. Okay, I'm sorry, I wasn't able to tell who that was. Who seconded? Keggy. Okay. All right. Try to improve my ears or audio quality here. Um so motion to approve from board member and seconded by board member Keege. Uh Commissioner Confer, how do you vote? Vote aye. Record some notes here on that. Um Vice Chair Frazy, how do you vote? I vote aye. Board Member Cullins, how do you vote? Abstain, I was not in attendance. All right, fair enough. Board member Keegee. I vote aye. Board Member Watson. I vote aye. And board member Baker. I vote a. All right, and I also vote aye. So the motion passes 6-0 with board member Cullins abstaining. Okay, thank you.
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