Variance 1239 –  3840 Hickok Circle – Front Setback - A variance from 27-308 requiring a minimum front setback of 20 feet to allow a minimum front setback of 15 feet for a new residence in a Residential 9,600 (R-96) zone on Lot 11, Block 2 of Sand Cliff Subdivision, a 1.045-acre parcel of land, generally located at 3840 Hickok Circle. Tax ID: A21165.
 

Planning Staff is recommending conditional approval.

OWNERS:                             Robert & Janice Hamlin
AGENT:                                Classic Design Homes, Doug Wild
PURPOSE:                           To reduce the minimum required front setback from 20 feet to 15 feet
LEGAL DESCRIPTION:        Lot 11, block 2, Sand Cliff Subdivision
ADDRESS:                           3840 Hickok Circle
EXISTING LAND USE:         Vacant
PROPOSED LAND USE:     Residential
EXISTING ZONING:             Residential-9600 (R-96)

None

Records show there have been three variance applications in this subdivision.  One of them was for setbacks, one for building height, and one for sidewalks. Two of them were approved, one was denied.

NORTH:   Zoning:      R-96
                  Land Use:  Single Family Dwellings
SOUTH:    Zoning:      R-96
                  Land Use:  Single Family Dwellings
EAST:       Zoning:      R-96
                  Land Use:  Single Family Dwellings
WEST:      Zoning:      R-96
                  Land Use:  Single Family Dwellings  

The applicant is requesting a variance from 27-308 requiring a minimum front setback of 20 feet to allow a minimum front setback of 15 feet for a new residence in a Residential 9,600 (R-96) zone on Lot 11, Block 2 of Sand Cliff Subdivision, a 1.045-acre parcel of land, generally located at 3840 Hickok Circle.
 
The subdivision is located at the edge of the rimrocks in the northwest area of Billings. The lot has a significant slope to the rear of the property, limiting the potential building area to the front of the parcel. The subject property sits at the edge of a rimrock face that is very rocky, so it would also be difficult to cut into the land for any type of construction on the rear side slope of the property. The proposed site plan indicates the garage approach would be angled accessing the garage(s) from the side to reduce possible parking issues encroaching into the sidewalk with the fifteen-foot setback.
 
Planning staff has reviewed this application and is forwarding a recommendation of conditional approval for the variance to allow the reduction of the front yard setback from 20 feet to 15 feet on this parcel of land, based on the determinations for granting a variance.

Planning Staff is recommending conditional approval of City Variance #1239 based on the criteria for variances.