Permit Review Detail
Review Status: Completed
Review Details: BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT
Permit Number - T08SA00336
Review Name: BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT
Review Status: Completed
| Review Date | Reviewer's Name | Type of Review | Description | Status | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/09/2008 | MARTIN BROWN | FIRE | REVIEW | Approved | |
| 10/15/2008 | JIM VOGELSBERG | ENGINEERING | REVIEW | Approved | C1-08-13 GARCIA NEW RESIDENCE/R. AND C. GARCIA, 3007 WEST VIA DE SUENOS, SR The Engineering Division has no objection/adverse comments regarding the applicant's request for a variance to increase the maximum height of a residence allowed within the HDZ, as shown on the submitted plans. |
| 10/17/2008 | JOSE ORTIZ | DOT TRAFFIC | REVIEW | Completed | TDOT-Traffic has no objections to the proposed Variance. |
| 10/22/2008 | ANY | COMMUNITY PLANNING | REVIEW | Approved | URBAN PLANNING AND DESIGN C10-08-13 Garcia New Residence/R. and C. Garcia 3007 West Via de Suenos, SR Tumamoc Area Plan 10/14/08 drcorral The applicants' property is an irregular shaped 4.13 acre parcel located within a Hillside Development Overlay Zone (HDZ) and is proposed for development with a new single-family residence and garage. The proposed development of the vacant site requires compliance with all Land Use Code (LUC) development criteria applicable to new construction. Tucson LUC Sections applicable to this project include, but are not limited to Section 2.2.4 which provides criteria for residential development in the SR zone and Section 2.8.1 "Hillside Development Zone" (HDZ) which provides the HDZ regulations applicable to the project. The applicants are requesting a variance to increase the maximum height of a residence allowed within the HDZ, as shown on the submitted plans. POLICIES The site is within the boundaries of the Tumamoc Area Plan, which provides land use guidance for variance requests. The City of Tucson General Plan and the Design Guidelines Manual provide additional relevant design guidelines and applicable land use direction for this request. TUMAMOC AREA PLAN SECTION II. GENERAL POLICIES: A. DEVELOPMENT POLICIES Public and private land in the Tumamoc Area should be developed in harmony with surrounding uses and according to terrain and drainage constraints. The integrity of established neighborhoods should be protected. This policy should be implemented in the following ways: Policy 3: Future rezonings and development plans shall be consistent with residential density limits recommended for the subareas. Other policies in this plan take precedence over these recommendations in the event of conflict between adopted policy statements and recommended density designations. C. NATURAL FEATURES POLICIES Policy 1: The unique desert environment of the Tumamoc Area should be protected. The environmental quality of the Tumamoc Area is its distinctive feature. The preservation of Tumamoc Hill, the natural washes, wildlife habitat, large areas of NUOS, and hillside areas are critical to the future of this area. This policy should be implemented in the following ways: f. New development should be designed and evaluated based on preservation of native vegetation, wildlife habitat, and conservation linkages, and provision of wash buffer zones, where appropriate. E. DESIGN GUIDELINES Intent Statement: The Design Guidelines are intended to help insure that new development is designed in a manner that enhances the visual appearance of the area and is compatible with existing land uses. Not all of the guidelines apply to each case. The guidelines are to be used in various combinations depending on the proposed development, adjacent uses, and the existing site conditions. Guideline 3: When possible, locate new development where there are disturbed areas to minimize disturbance of NUOS areas. Guideline 5: Encourage design in new development, which complements the surrounding development by utilizing compatible setbacks and variations in building height or mass which compliment the scale of surrounding development. Guideline 6: During future rezonings and development plan review in the Tumamoc Area, new development should: a. maintain native vegetation on-site in compliance with the Native Plant Preservation Ordinance requirements. b. be oriented so as not to obstruct neighbors' views or privacy. c. be oriented to take advantage of passive solar energy. d. be constructed of material or painted a color, which blends with the natural environment. e. be allowed a density bonus where major washes and wildlife corridors are preserved and/or dedicated to public use over and above code requirements. f. be located sensitive to the terrain in accordance with adopted City floodplain and slope policies. SECTION III. SUBAREA POLICIES: SUBAREA 13 Proposed Use: Residential, at rural density. Densities should remain low in this subarea due to slope and drainage constraints. Because the area north of San Juan Wash is a conservation linkage, new development should be located south of San Juan Wash and should recognize and maintain protected washes. The existing Tucson Mountain Park Buffer Zone, which is designated as low density by the Tucson Mountain Park Plan should be maintained. Vacant parcels should be purchased for expansion of the Tucson Mountain Park. GENERAL PLAN ELEMENT 4: COMMUNITY CHARACTER AND DESIGN Policy 6: Promote quality in design for residential, commercial, industrial, mixed-use, and publicly-funded development. Supporting Policies 6.1: All development should incorporate environmentally sensitive design that protects the integrity of existing neighborhoods, complements adjacent land uses, and enhances the overall function and visual quality of the street, adjacent properties, and the community. DESIGN GUIDELINES MANUAL I. ALL DEVELOPMENT A. LAND USE AND SITE DESIGN 1. SITE PLANNING A. ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE SITE DESIGN (I.A.1.A) Intent - Design site plans to minimize disturbance to the natural environment and reduce infrastructure costs. Solution - Reduce impact on the natural environment through the following methods: · Locate areas to be developed near, or adjacent to, existing developed areas. · Develop land near existing infrastructure first. C. PRESERVATION OF NATURAL AREAS (I.A.1.C) Intent - Preserve natural areas through innovative site design, thus providing an amenity to the new development while reinforcing the overall natural environment. Solution - Preserve the most viable natural areas using the following site design techniques: · Qualitatively assess vegetated areas before preparing a layout. · Cluster developed areas in the lower, flatter areas of a site to preserve slopes, ridges, and natural drainageways. · Locate structures on previously disturbed areas. · Employ zero lot-line development where appropriate. · Use functional open space to buffer natural areas from built areas. DISCUSSION The applicant's request is located in a residential area of Tucson. This residential area has been developed mostly with low-density single family housing. The Tumamoc Area Plan, General Plan, and Design Guidelines Manual provide policy direction to allow additional growth to occur in areas that have already experienced development and to preserve the surrounding desert environment and ecosystem. The plans encourage the preservation of the integrity of existing neighborhoods. The subject parcel is located in Subarea 13 of the Tumamoc Area Plan which calls for lower density development. The Hillside Development Zone (HDZ), which calls for a maximum building height of 24 feet, affects the site. The applicant is requesting a variance to exceed the 24-foot-height limitation by nine feet, four-inches, measured from the top of the roof parapet to the height of the home's living space. The Tumamoc Area Plan and General Plan emphasizes design compatibility of residential infill, with existing neighborhood land uses. The Plans support residential projects that reflect sensitivity to site and neighborhood conditions and which adhere to relevant site and architectural guidelines. The Plans also suggest solutions and strategies that appropriately mitigate visual, noise, and other potential impacts on adjacent properties, while improving the streetscape and contributing positively to the overall function and quality of the community and neighborhood. The shape of the subject property is irregular and includes a wash feature which limits the area for building location. The design proposal is for a multi-level home. This design will help to minimize the horizontal footprint of the house and responds to the unique character and configuration of the property, while minimizing disturbance to the hillside. The garage will be constructed at the base of the hill with the living space integrated above it. Placing the garage at this location will place the garage at the same elevation level of the road. A review of aerial photos shows this variance request is not inconsistent with other similar configurations in the area. Existing houses adjacent to the proposed single-family development are also located on the hillside area; therefore, would not be incompatible with the character of the established neighborhood. CONCLUSION The proposed variance request is generally consistent with the Tumamoc Area Plan, General Plan and Design Guidelines Manual. |