At a meeting on July 12, the Board of Zoning Adjustment granted a variance to allow building a house in a tight spot on Magnetic Springs Rd.
Michael and Amanda Dodge had asked for the variance, since their lot of 9,056 square feet does not meet the city’s minimum lot size of 10,000 square feet. The discussion began with public comments, and Michael Pierce objected to the variance. He said the surrounding property has been in his family for more than 60 years. He said the solid rock on the site would be unsuitable for construction.
Michael Dodge said he did not yet have a house plan but expected to build on a pier foundation to minimize the impact on the site. He envisions a two-bedroom house, with 800 to 1,000 square feet. “We want to blend in with the natural surroundings,” he said. “We want to keep a natural buffer all around the property.” Dodge said he would not have to cut any large trees, and the plan would accommodate two parking spaces.
Commissioner Tom Buford said he had walked the site and could see an appropriate building site. All approved the variance, and BOZA then convened as the Planning Commission.
Commissioner Fergie Stewart said he has received the 143-page survey on Internet needs. Stewart had hoped to see the city’s notorious connectivity problems solved by fiber-optic service downtown. He said the new service is being installed all around the city, but he was not optimistic that the downtown area would see the upgrade soon. Stewart said the companies that have contracted to install the fiber-optic cables do not face any fines if they “overstate their capabilities.”
In other business:
- Sharon Lawler resides at 263 Spring, and during public comments she expressed concerns about new parking regulations. She said she had two dedicated parking spots in front of the Bridgeford House, in addition to three off-street parking spots. She agreed with marking the area as residential parking, but asked to keep the two parking spots on the street for her guests.
- The commission and city aldermen will hold a joint meeting with city council at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 2, to continue discussions on parking issues. Commissioner Susan Harman asked for an update on signs, and also asked about the ordinance that will create the residential parking areas.
- Commissioners agreed on the need for a workshop to discuss minimum maintenance issues.