Legal opine re Parking Variance tl ~ ~993 '"
NICHOLS, JACKSON, DILLARD, HAGER & SMITH, L. 0EC I ~ - ,. :i'
~w~scE w..~c~sos Attorneys & Co~lo~ ~ ~w ~ ~. ~E~ ,~
R~ ~ ~ IH ~&% ~ &~L~ .....
z~ ~ ~8~ ~ PI~
~ ~ s~ 5~ N~ ~d R~E~ ~Ro, ~
OA~D ~ ~ ~ L~S ~C~
8~E ~ ~O D~, Tcx~ 75201 OF ~EL
F~ (214) 9~4-3334
December ~4, ~3
g Jones
e~
75019
Re: Boston Chcken Resta~t P~g V~ce Request
De~ Greg:
~su~t to yo~ requesh ~e ~de~i~ed pro.de ~e fo~o~g op~on conce~g
whether ~e ~ning Bo~d of Adjm~ent ~y ~t a sped~ exception or v~ce to ~e
p~g req~emenB of the Comprehemive ~ning Ordin~ce ~ ~ey apply to a Boston
Chcken Resta~t. For ~e re~o~ set fo~ here~ we conclude ~at the ~ Bo~d
of Adjm~ent ~y ~t a v~ce to ~e p~g req~emenB upon a sho~g of
u~ecess~ h~p.
You adze ~at Boston ~cken Resta~t h~ requested ~e ~nlng Bo~d of
Adjus~em ~t a sped~ exception or v~ce to ~e p~g requkemenB ~ ~e
Comprehe~ive ~nlng Ord~ce. Spe~y, ~e appoint h~ requested a redu~on ~
· e req~ed ri.tuber of p~g spaces ~ ~y addifion~ requked p~g to be prodded
off-site. Se~on 31-8 of ~e Comprehemive ~nlng Ord~ce req~es ~at ~ p~ng ~
prodded on ~e sine lot ~ ~e me se~e~ however, Se~on 31-8(2) pe~ not more
· ~ 50% of ~e req~ed p~g to be lo~ted off-site ~der a jolt use/remote p~g
a~eement.
lnifi~y, we note ~m Se~on 41-3(3) of ~e Comprehemive ~ Or--ce
auto.s ~e ~ning Bo~d of Adjm~ent to ~t s~d~ excepfiom to ~e te~ of ~e
Comprehemive ~ning ~din~ce. Subse~on D of ~at se~on pe~ ~e Bo~d to w~ve
or reduce ~e p~g req~emen~ ~ ~y ~ffi~ whenever ~e ch~a~er or me of ~e
b~g ~ ~ ~ to ~e unnece~ ~e ~ pro. ion of p~ or where such
re~afiom wo~d ~pose ~ unre~o~ble h~p upon ~e me of ~e lo[ Ad~fio~y,
Se~on 41-3(4) auto.s ~e Bo~d of Adjm~ent to ~t v~ces to ~e te~ of ~e
Comprehe~ive ~ning Or~ ~at ~ not be con~ to ~e pubic ~terest where,
o~g to sped~ con~o~, a ~ter~ e~orcement of ~e pro~io~ of ~e ~mprehe~ive
Zoning Or~~ ~ re~t ~ ~ece~ h~p. ~ou~ Subse~om (A), ~), ~d
(C) of Se~on 41-3(4) ~t spe~c v~ces or ~s of v~ces whch a ~d of
Adjus~ent may ~ ~e ~t ~ not ~ ~clusive. ~m, the ~g ~d of Adjacent
December 14, 1993
Page 2
may grant a variance to the Zoning Ordinance, upon the showing of an nnnecessary
hardship.
Traditionally, special exceptions are specified uses that the Comprehensive Zoning
Ordinance determines are appropriate and allowed in designated districts, if the Zoning
Board of Adjustment determines that particular placement will not adversely affect the
public and neighborhood interests. Variances, on the other hand, allow owners to depart
from the technical zoning regulations to avoid undue hardship. These departures are not
desirable as a matter of land use policy, and are allowed only because the applicant shows
particular equities agaimt strict enforcement. Special exceptions however are valid uses that
the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance expressly authorizes in designated districts. Since
special exceptions violate no land use policies and are favored as long as they do not cause
adverse impact to the public, an applicant need not show hardship.
Since, special exceptions relate to uses allowed by a zoning ordinance but specifically
approved by the Board of Adjustment for situational suitability, we conclude that Section
41-3(3) is incorrectly rifled "SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS" and is nothing more than a list of
express variances or types of variances that the Board of Adjustment may grant when the
requisite hardship has been shown. As a result, Boston Chicken must show that the literal
enforcement of the parking regulations will result in an unnecessary hardship. A variance
will not be authorized merely to accommodate the highest and best use of the property, nor
to eliminate a financial hardship. A variance should only be granted when the
Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance does not permit any reasonable use of the property.
Accordingly, only if the literal enforcement of the parking regulations will result in an
unnecessary hardship because of the topography or unique characteristics of the property,
should a variance be granted.
Thank you for your attention in thi.~ matter. If you have any further questions in thLq
regard, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Very truly yours,
NICHOLS, JACKSON, DILLARD, HAGER & SM]TH, LL.P.
PGS/jd
'""xd-cc Mr. Gary L. Sieb
Director of Planning
City of Coppell
P. O. Box 478
Coppell, Texas 75019