BM 2001-02-01 BOAMINUTES OF FEBRUARY 1, 2001
BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT
The Board of Adjustment of the City of Coppell met on Thursday, February 1, 2001, at 7:30 p.m.
in the Conference Room of the Fire Administration building, 500 Southwestern Blvd.
In attendance:
David Stonecipher, Chairman
Steven Wright, Commissioner
Robert Turk, Alternate Commissioner
John Hoppie, Alternate Commissioner
Norman Kressmann, Alternate Commissioner
Absent:
Mark LeGros, Vice Chairman
Jamshed Jamadar, Commissioner
Robert Chomiak, Commissioner
David Terry, Alternate Commissioner
Also present:
Greg Jones, Chief Building Official
Mary Beth Spletzer, Recording Secretary
Applicants present: Rory Carrick, 456 E. Sandy Lake Road, Coppell
Cindy Jacobs, 112 Fleetwood Cove, Coppell
Item 1: Call to Order.
Chairman Stonecipher called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
Chairman Stonecipher administered the oath for all members of the audience wishing to speak
either for or against the requests being presented at this meeting.
Item 2:
Approval of Minutes of January 4, 2001 Meeting.
Minutes of the January 4, 2001 meeting were presented for approval. Motion was made by
Commissioner Kressmann that the minutes be approved. Motion was seconded by
Commissioner Wright, and a vote was taken. Motion carried, 5 to 0. Minutes approved.
Item 3:
Public Hearing to consider approval of a variance request from Section 11-3-2-C
of the City's Zoning Ordinance and Section 9-2-6(D) of the City's Code of
Ordinances, for the property currently known as 456 E. Sandy Lake Road. Rory
Carrick is requesting a variance to the minimum required lot depth for SF-12
zoned lots, and a variance to place a 4-ft. high wrought iron fence, in what has
been established as the front yard, from the east property line to the southeast
corner of the house, which will face Lodge Road, in order to provide a pool
enclosure on the property.
Greg Jones explained that this property was once a single parcel, but is now zoned as Lots 1 and
2 of Block A, adding that the property owner currently resides in the wood frame house at the
south end (lot 1) of the property. He explained that this project was approved by City Council
and platted, but, in order to comply with SF-12 zoning requirements, a minimum lot depth of 110
feet is required; whereas this lot currently measures only 96 feet in depth, the property owner is
requesting a variance to the required lot depth.
Regarding the second portion of the request, Greg Jones explained that when the new house is
constructed on lot 2, the frontage will be along Lodge Road. There is an existing
"grandfathered" wrought iron fence extending north and south in what will be the front yard.
The applicant is requesting a variance to construct a section of 4-ft. high wrought iron fence from
the east property line to the southeast corner of the house to connect with the existing fence and
form a pool enclosure.
He reported that Staff recommends approval of this two-part request.
The applicant was invited to step forward to present his variance request. Rory Carrick
explained that his intent with this parcel is to maintain the look of one property. He added that
the fencing will match the existing fence, and a sidewalk will be constructed along Lodge Road.
He added that without the fence variance, he would be unable to provide the required pool
enclo sure.
Meeting was opened to the public. No one spoke in favor of or in opposition to the variance
request.
Andrew Lewis, of 344 Cedar Crest Drive, speaking on behalf of the Pecan Ridge Homeowners
Association, commented that it would be the association's desire that any new sections of
fencing match the existing stone and wrought iron of the adjacent Pecan Ridge subdivision
perimeter fence.
Public Hearing was closed to the public and opened to the Board for discussion.
Motion was made by Commissioner Wright to grant the two-part variance, as requested. Motion
was seconded by Commissioner Kressmann, and a vote was taken. Motion carried, 5 to 0.
Variances granted.
Item 4:
Public Hearing to consider approval of a variance request from the developer's
plat note #3, requiring a 10-ft. sideyard fence setback on lots adjacent to side
streets, for the property located at 112 Fleetwood Cove. Cindy Jacobs is
requesting a variance to extend the fence and angle it, beyond the required 1 O-ft.
minimum sideyard fence setback, in order to preserve a Post Oak treeline on the
north side of the house, and to provide access to the strip of land between the
stone walls for maintenance purposes.
Greg Jones explained that a retaining wall was constructed on the north side of the house along
Hickory Ridge Drive. He referred to the developer' s note #3 on the plat, which indicates that
"the fence setback will be enforced on the side yard adjacent to the side street on all corner lots",
which, in this case, applies to the Hickory Ridge side. He reported that the fence builder had
already starting setting fence posts when the problem was discovered. The fence builder then
left those posts standing, but moved the fence inward, finishing the fence construction on the 10-
ft. setback line, as required. He added that the property hardship, in this situation, is somewhat
self-imposed, but is also affected by the builder's placement of the stone retaining wall as an
architectural feature.
The applicant was invited to step forward to present her case.
Cindy Jacobs reported that they purchased the home from the builder at the foundation stage,
after the location of the retaining wall had been determined. She explained that the blue line on
the drawing indicates the position of the proposed fence, and the red line indicates the position of
the existing fence. Ms. Jacobs presented several issues in favor of the variance request: 1) for
aesthetic purposes, there is a need to maintain the non-frosted bathroom window, as well as the
two air conditioning units, within the fenced-in area; 2) the fence would not interfere with
corner visibility; 3) for maintenance purposes, there is no way to access the grassy strip that
rises 4 to 5 feet above the remainder of the yard; and 4) there are five Post Oak trees that could
be disturbed by the fence post hole-drilling process.
The meeting was opened to the public. No one spoke in favor of or in opposition to the variance
request.
The meeting was closed to the public, and opened to the Board for discussion. Discussion
continued on the placement of the fence in relation to the retaining wall and the trees.
Motion was made by Commissioner Wright to deny the variance request. Motion was seconded
by Commissioner Kressmann, and a vote was taken. Motion failed, 3 to 2, with Commissioners
Turk and Hoppie voting in opposition.
Motion was made by Commissioner Hoppie to gram the variance, only as it applies to the raised
portion of the retaining wall. Motion was seconded by Commissioner Turk, and a vote was
taken. Motion failed, 2 to 3, with Commissioners Stonecipher, Kressmann, and Wright voting in
opposition. Variance request denied.
Item 5:
Greg Jones reported that two variance requests are likely to appear on the March 1st agenda of
Board of Adjustment, adding that the Building and Standards Commission will meet on the same
evening to discuss the property located at 125 Kimbel Kourt. Tentatively, the Building and
Standards Commission will meet at 7 p.m., followed by Board of Adjustment at 8 p.m.
Adjournment.
Motion was made by Commissioner Kressmann that the meeting be adjourned. Motion was
seconded by Commissioner Turk, and a vote was taken. Motion carried, 5 to 0. Meeting
adjourned.
David Stonecipher, Chairman
Mary Beth Spletzer, Recording Secretary