HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-20 BZA Staff Report
VARIANCE APPLICATION #04-20
ROCCO FALCONE CONSTRUCTION
Staff Report for the Board of Zoning Appeals
Prepared: May 7, 2020
Staff Contact: Mark R. Cheran, Zoning Administrator
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This report is prepared by the Frederick County Planning Staff to provide information to the Board
of Zoning Appeals to assist them in making a decision on this request. It may also be useful to
others interested in this zoning matter.
BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS HEARING DATE:
May 19, 2020
Public Hearing; Action Pending
LOCATION: The property is located at 361 Bushy Ridge Drive, Star Tannery, Virginia.
MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT: Back Creek
PROPERTY ID NUMBER: 69-2-18
PROPERTY ZONING & USE: Zoned: RA (Rural Areas)
Land Use: Vacant
ADJOINING PROPERTY ZONING & USE:
North: RA (Rural Areas) Use: Residential
South: RA (Rural Areas) Use: Residential
East RA (Rural Areas) Use: Residential
West: RA (Rural Areas ) Use: Vacant
VARIANCE REQUESTED: The Applicant is requesting for a 30-foot right side yard variance to a
required 100-foot right side setback which will result in a 70-foot right side yard setback, to construct a
single- family dwelling.
REASON FOR VARIANCE: The property cannot meet the current setbacks due to the size of the
property and location of the dwelling.
STAFF COMMENTS: This property was created in 1972, as indicated on the deed and the
subdivision was approved by Frederick County (Plat enclosed). This property does not have Building
Restriction Lines (BRL) assigned to it and would need to meet the current RA (Rural Areas)
setbacks. The Frederick County historical zoning map shows this property was zoned A-2
Variance #04-20 – Rocco Falcone Construction
Page 2
May 7, 2020
(Agricultural General) in 1972. The property setback lines at the adoption of the zoning ordinance
were 35-feet for the front, 15-feet for the side yards and 50-feet for the rear yard. Frederick County
amended its Ordinance in 1989 to change A-2 Zoning District to the current RA (Rural Areas)
Zoning District. The Frederick County Board of Supervisors amended the setbacks for the RA
Zoning District on February 28, 2007, making the current setbacks for this property 60-feet to the
front, 50-feet to the rear, and 50-feet left side and 100-feet right side.
The Applicant is requesting a variance of 30-feet on the right-side yard setback from the current
100-foot setback resulting in a 70-foot right side yard setback. This variance, if granted, would allow
the construction of a single-family dwelling.
STAFF CONCLUSIONS FOR THE MAY 19, 2020 MEETING:
The Code of Virginia 15.2-2309 (2) and Code of Frederick 165-1001.2, states that no variance shall
be granted unless the application can meet the following requirements:
1) The property interest for which the variance is being requested was acquired in good faith.
2) The granting of the variance will not be a substantial detriment to adjoining property or
nearby properties in the proximity of that geographical area.
3) The condition or situation of the property concerned is not of so general or recurring as to
make reasonably practicable the formulation of a general regulation to be adopted as an
amendment to the ordinance.
4) The granting of the variance does not result in a use that is otherwise permitted on such
property or a change in the zoning classification of the property.
5) The relief or remedy sought by the variance is not available through a special exception or
the process for modification of a zoning ordinance.
This proposed variance appears to be consistent with the character of the District; and meets the
intent of The Code of Virginia 15.2309 (2) and the Code of Frederick County. This request from
current setbacks of the RA (Rural Area) Zoning District may be justified.