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Home My WebLink AboutItem IPLAN COMMISSION STAFF REPORT APRIL 15, 2025 ITEM I: RESIDENTIAL DESIGN STANDARDS VARIANCE TO ALLOW FOR A PATIO ON THE FRONT FAÇADE AT 1907 CRANE STREET GENERAL INFORMATION Applicant/Owner: Seth Palmer Action(s) Requested: The applicant is requesting approval of a variance from the City’s Residential Design Standards to allow for a patio on the front façade at 1907 Crane Street. Applicable Ordinance Provision the Variance is being requested: Code Reference Regulation Section 30-241(C)(2) Decks, balconies, and patios shall be constructed only on a building’s rear or interior side facades. Property Location and Background: The subject property is a residential lot located at 1907 Crane Street and is approximately 13,500 square feet in area. The property is a corner lot with Crane Street running along the east and Columbia Avenue to the south. The property contains a 1,217 square-foot single story residential structure that was built in 1939 according to the City of Oshkosh Assessor’s website. The surrounding area consists of single-family uses with varying character and similar scale. The subject property and surrounding properties are zoned Single Family Residential-9 (SR-9). Page 1 ITEM I – 1907 Crane Street - Design Standards Variance In August of 2024, the applicant applied for a permit to install a new patio door opening on the front façade of the home. At that time, the owner explained to staff they would like to construct a patio at a future date. Staff informed the owner that a Design Standards Variance (DSV) was needed for a patio to be installed on the front façade. The owner then submitted the proper DSV application on February 27, 2025. The home and driveway are situated toward the northwest corner of the property, leaving minimal rear and side yard area for a patio. The home is currently 23 feet from the rear yard and 13 feet from the side yard. The applicant is proposing to construct a 40’ x 40’ patio and landscaped area on the façade of the home that faces Crane Street. Complete work proposed includes installing a concrete paver patio, landscaping with a landscaping stone border along the perimeter, and a concrete pad in front of the existing patio door. Applicable ordinance prohibits patios on street facing facades; therefore, Plan Commission review and a DSV are necessary for this project. Subject Site Existing Land Use Zoning Single-Family Residential SR-9 Recognized Neighborhood Organizations N/A Adjacent Land Use and Zoning Existing Uses Zoning North Single-Family Residential SR-9 South Single-Family Residential SR-9 East Single-Family Residential SR-9 West Single-Family Residential SR-9 Comprehensive Plan Land Use Recommendation Land Use 2040 Land Use Recommendation Light Density Residential VARIANCE CRITERIA The City’s Zoning Ordinance establishes design standards for single and two-family homes with the overall purpose/intent to: “Maintain the basic architectural quality of residences within the community, to minimize adverse impacts on adjacent properties and neighborhoods resulting from architectural and building construction practices that may detract from the character and appearance of the neighborhood as a whole, and to ensure compatible design between existing and new homes.” The standards apply to all single and two-family structures within the City and include the regulation that “Decks, balconies, and patios shall be constructed only on a building’s rear or interior side facades.” Page 2 ITEM I – 1907 Crane Street - Design Standards Variance The Plan Commission is authorized to grant variances from the strict application of the standards when it is determined that one or more of the following apply: 1. The variance will not be contrary to the public interest. 2. Substantial justice will be done by granting the variance. 3. The variance is needed so that the spirit of the ordinance is observed. 4. Due to special conditions, a literal enforcement of the provisions of the Zoning Ordinance will result in unnecessary hardship. 5. The variance will not allow an alteration of a historic structure, including its use, which would preclude its continued designation as a historic structure. ANALYSIS Staff has determined that this DSV request is not contrary to the public interest because the proposed patio will meet the principal structure setback requirements for the SR-9 Zoning District of 25 feet. The proposed patio will not extend closer to the front property line than the neighboring house to the north. Furthermore, there is a six-foot-tall privacy fence that will screen the proposed patio from the public right-of-way and the adjacent properties. Staff has determined that the property provides an unnecessary hardship because the current layout of the home and driveway limit the available area to construct a patio, therefore eliminating the possibility for a patio where the zoning ordinance permits them to be constructed. The above image shows a site plan of the proposed deck. The above image shows a site plan of the proposed patio and landscaping Page 3 ITEM I – 1907 Crane Street - Design Standards Variance The two above images show some of the surrounding residential properties. The top image shows the view looking south at the intersection of Crane Street and Columbia Avenue and the other image shows the view looking north along Crane Street. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends approval of the variance from the City’s Residential Design Standards to allow for a patio on the front façade with the following condition and findings: Condition: 1. All necessary residential building permits shall be obtained. Findings: 1. The variance will not be contrary to the public interest because it meets the setback requirements of the SR-9 zoning district and the neighboring home to the north. 2. Due to special conditions, a literal enforcement of the provisions of the Zoning Ordinance will result in unnecessary hardship because the house and driveway are situated toward the northwest corner of the property, limiting the side and rear yard area. Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 C:\Users\jeffreyw\Desktop\Jeffrey.mxd User: jeffreyw 19 0 7 C rane City of Oshkosh maps and data are intended to be used for general identification purposes only, and theCity of Oshkosh assumes no liability for the accuracy of the information. Those using the information areresponsible for verifying accuracy. For full disclaimer please go to www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us/GISdisclaimer Printing Date: 3/12/2025 1 in = 20 ft 1 in = 0 mi¯ Prepared by: City of Oshkosh, WI 29’ 40’ 11’ 28’Patio 3’ setback 25’ setback Page 8 DESIGN STANDARDS VARIANCE 1907 CRANE ST PC: 4-15-2025 LUE YANG/HLI P XIONG 1916 CRANE ST OSHKOSH WI 54901-2149 CAROL J HUNKE 1910 CRANE ST OSHKOSH WI 54901-2149 BRADY J DORN LAUREN L STEPHANIE 1520 COLUMBIA AVE OSHKOSH WI 54901-2143 NORTHERN ASPEN LLC 105 E RIVER DR OMRO WI 54963-1019 CHARLES J KOCHAN 1910 SHERIDAN ST OSHKOSH WI 54901-2181 LISA M THOMAS 1908 SHERIDAN ST OSHKOSH WI 54901-2181 HUNTER G SPORER 1620 COLUMBIA AVE OSHKOSH WI 54901-2145 SETH D PALMER LINDSEY J QUEDNOW 1907 CRANE ST OSHKOSH WI 54901-2148 DAVID J/BARBARA K VANDAM 7400 JENSEN RD OSHKOSH WI 54904-9603 CRAIG C LEHMAN 1913 CRANE ST OSHKOSH WI 54901-2148 DANIEL R RIESS 1846 SHERIDAN ST OSHKOSH WI 54901-2179 ERICKA A ZILLGES 1840 SHERIDAN ST OSHKOSH WI 54901-2179 CAROL T DANNER 1841 CRANE ST OSHKOSH WI 54901-2146 CINDY M RAHN 1845 CRANE ST OSHKOSH WI 54901-2146 LINDA K PAGE-MAUSSER 1521 COLUMBIA AVE OSHKOSH WI 54901-2142 Page 9 PARKSIDE DR COLUMBIA AVSHERIDAN ST CRANE ST OLIVE ST W LINWOOD AV J:\GIS\Planning\Plan Commission Site Plan Map Template\2023 Plan Commission Site Plan Map Template.mxd User: katrinam Prepared by: City of Oshkosh, WI Printing Date: 3/11/2025 1 in = 120 ft1 in = 0.02 mi¯1907 CRANE STBASE MAP City of Oshkosh maps and data are intended to be used for general identification purposes only, and the City of Oshkoshassumes no liability for the accuracy of the information. Those using the information are responsible for verifying accuracy. Forfull disclaimer please go to www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us/GISdisclaimer Page 10 HOBBS AV W BENT AV CONGRESS AV COLUMBIA AV MINERVA ST FIRESIDE CIR WA L N U T S T WILSON AV CE D A R S T ROOSEVELT AV BEECH ST PARKSIDE CT HAMILTON ST MITCHELL ST BEECH ST HOLLISTER AV WINCHESTER AV S H E RID A N ST WINCHESTER AV PLYMOUTH ST W SMITH AV ALDEN AV CLAR K S C T W BENT AV MORGAN AV MITCHELL ST SHERIDAN ST PLYMOUTH ST OLIVE ST CRANE ST RIV E R M IL L R D MORGAN AV WALNUT ST LAMAR AV RIVER MILLRD R IVERMIL L R D ARBORETU M D R HAMILTON ST SPRUCE ST CLOVER ST P A R K S IDE DR PARKSIDE DR SHERIDAN ST CRANE ST MINERVA ST WALNUT ST W MURDOCK AV VINLAND ST W L I N W O O D A V A L G O M A B L V D ELMWOOD AV Oshkosh Oshkosh City Limit City Limit DR-6 DR-6 DR-6 I I I I I I I I I-PDI-PD I-PDMR-12-PD MR-12-PD MR-20 MR-20-PD MR-36MR-36-PD NMU SMU SR-3 SR-3 SR-3 SR-3-PD SR-5 SR-5 SR-5 SR-9 UMU UMU UMU-PD UMU-RFO J:\GIS\Planning\Plan Commission Site Plan Map Template\2023 Plan Commission Site Plan Map Template.mxd User: katrinam Prepared by: City of Oshkosh, WI Printing Date: 3/11/2025 1 in = 500 ft1 in = 0.09 mi¯1907 CRANE STZONING MAP City of Oshkosh maps and data are intended to be used for general identification purposes only, and the City of Oshkoshassumes no liability for the accuracy of the information. Those using the information are responsible for verifying accuracy. Forfull disclaimer please go to www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us/GISdisclaimer Page 11 COLUMBIA AV SHERIDAN ST CRANE ST OLIVE ST W LINWOOD AV J:\GIS\Planning\Plan Commission Site Plan Map Template\2023 Plan Commission Site Plan Map Template.mxd User: katrinam Prepared by: City of Oshkosh, WI Printing Date: 3/11/2025 1 in = 100 ft1 in = 0.02 mi¯1907 CRANE STAERIAL MAP City of Oshkosh maps and data are intended to be used for general identification purposes only, and the City of Oshkoshassumes no liability for the accuracy of the information. Those using the information are responsible for verifying accuracy. Forfull disclaimer please go to www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us/GISdisclaimer Page 12