HomeMy WebLinkAbout12062007 BSC Agenda Item 3 • •
STAFF REPORT
BUSINESS OF THE BUILDING STANDARDS COMMISSION
CITY OF WEST UNIVERSITY PLACE,TEXAS
AGENDA: December 6, 2007 Docket No.07-03
DATE SUBMITTED: November 14, 2007 DEPARTMENT OF ORIGIN: Development
Services
PREPARED BY: S Landis,Building PRESENTER: Scott Ramsey
Official
SUBJECT: Request a variance to "Buildings and Development", Section 18-171, Subsection(1) of
Setbacks,Location, etc.
FYHTBTTC. Application,Letter from Applicant, Site Plan.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Mr. Scott Ramsey is requesting a variance to Section 18-171 Subsection(1) of the City's Code of
Ordinance, titled "Building and Development, Setbacks,Locations, etc." Mr. Ramsey's request is
to construct a swimming pool no closer than 3' of the side property line. The request is in conflict
with Section 82-171 Subsection(1) of the City's Code of Ordinance.
Section 82-171 Subsection(1) states:
(1)No part of the outside wall of any swimming pool may be closer than five feet to any
property line
Staff recommends that Mr. Ramsey's request be denied.
• • L7
City of West University Place
m APPLICATION TO THE BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION
OF THE CITY OF WEST UNIVERSITY PLACE, TEXAS ("CITY")
TEXAS
Address of site: 3 7Y( 6,E-0/e4 e7v tA)N
Legal description of the site: Lo i / %3&oci< / ( SUN5W- jii-- c7(oN
Applicant: Sc a T T 4e. /1nisEr
Address: 37x( G6-0,e6,Eror✓N s,-. 49.JS7nA X 77 0
Contact: e-0 77- A:2/01-7 Phone: 7/3-7/3- 517 f- 9 0 9 7 Fax: 2 6 2 - 313 - / 1-39
Email Address: S co77` /`a kt4S LJ a X crO. Go 111
Decision or Action Requested(check one or more and provide requested data):
( )Appeal. Hear and decide an appeal from an order, requirement, decision or determination made
by the building official (or other administrative official) of the City.
• Name and title of the administrative official:
• Is the official's action in writing? ( )Yes; ( )copy is attached. ( )No, but the action appealed is as follows:
• When was the action taken? Note: Appeals must be filed within a reasonable time. Please explain any
delay below:
• Exact code of ordinance section(s) involved:
• Grounds for appeal:
( ) Special Exception.
• Exact code of ordinance section that authorizes the special exception:
• Exact wording of special exception requested:
(X) Variance.
//`` • Exact code of ordinance section from which a variance is requested: 5.-ec ( s-I 7 [ (i)
• Exact wording of variance requested: C4 �,) /a y a� ot,7(s7/e L/J/o117
SwimmfJ per/ •na7 -Se `�oy�,- a-,‘ i✓e fe �`4 Qr- //.te e� /r) I 'o
Other Data. Are there drawings or other data? ( )No (Y)Yes (list items here and attach them)
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Signature of applicant: 5.0, ; - ( p, Date: // n
For Staff Use only Date filed: Date heard: ( Docket#:
(21 L -m
Form BSC-102
• .
Scott A Ram,
Susan R.Ramsey
3781 Geonjetovvn St
Houston Tx,77005
November 13, 2007
Building and Standards Commission
City of West University Place
Re: Pool Setback Variance for 3781 Georgetown St
Dear Sir or Madam:
We are writing to you per the requirements of the City of West University Place
Municipal Code Section 18-20 (b), regarding our request for a variance to Section 18-
171, Subpart (1), which reads, "(1) No part of the outside wall of any swimming pool
may be closer than five feet to any property line.".
We are currently having a new home built on the property we have occupied since
2001 at 3781 Georgetown St. in West University Place. As part of the new
construction we plan to build a courtyard swimming pool on the West side of the lot
nearest to Auden St. (see enclosed drawing). We would like to request a Variance,
such that we could build our pool no closer than three (3) feet to the West property
line of our lot.
Here are our responses to the Section 18-20 (b) requirements for a Variance
application:
1) Requirement: Section 18-171, Subpart (1), which reads, "(1) No part of the
outside wall of any swimming pool may be closer than five feet to any
property line."
2) Hardship: The primary reason we need a variance is that due to the separate
requirement of Section 7-101, Table 7-2, that the interior side yard setback be
the greater of 10% of building site width (as measured from the front of the
lot, 61.45 ft in our case) or 5 feet, we were required to have a 6.145 ft setback
on the East side of the house, despite the fact that most of the lot is
significantly less than 61.45 ft wide as it necks down to 50 ft wide at the back
of the lot along the Auden curve near Rice Blvd (see drawing). This has
required us to move the house far enough toward Auden that the pool will be
only just over 5 ft. from the foundation and thus potentially a safety risk to
those exiting to the patio.
3) Alternative: As stated above we would like to obtain a Variance such that the
pool can be pushed farther toward Auden, leaving more space between the
house and pool edge, i.e. no closer than three (3) feet from the West property
line.
• •
• Page2 November 13, 2007
4) Effect of Variance: Since the pool will be totally enclosed in a masonry/wood
fence (see drawing) and we are requesting the Variance on the Auden street
side of our corner lot, the Variance will have no effect on the City of West
University Place or our neighbors. The fact that a Variance exists at all will not
be apparent to anyone outside of our own house.
5) Cost to comply: It is possible to comply with the requirement as written at no
significant additional cost. The primary issue is not cost, but safety and risk
due to the proximity of the pool to the house itself driven by the current
requirement to be no closer than five (5)feet to the property line.
6) Other Items: If you require any additional information, please let us know.
We would appreciate confirmation at your earliest convenience that our request will
be heard at the December 6, 2007 Building and Standards Commission meeting.
Sincerely,
,541--1- 4-7 itiv4v
Scott A. Ramsey
Susan R. Ramsey
3781 Georgetown St.
Houston, TX 77005
Cell: 713-478-9097
e-mail: scott_ramsey@yahoo.com
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