Narrative

City of Glendale — Regular Meeting (2021-09-09)

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Project Narrative 
5315 W Myrtle Ave 
Variance Request to Reduce Side Setbacks 
 
1. Type of variance requested, section(s) of the Zoning Ordinance to be varied: 
Reduction of side yards setback as required by the City of Glendale’s Single Residence Districts 
Development Standards for an R-3 zoned property.  Asking for the east side setback to be 
reduced from 20 feet to 7 feet and for the west side setback to be reduced from 20 feet to 17 
feet. 
 
2. Due to the special circumstances, the strict application of the Zoning Ordinance would deprive 
the property of privileges enjoyed by other properties in the same classification in same 
zoning district: 
This property is already built with a setback of 7 feet on the west side and 17 feet on the east 
side and does not meet the current setback of the City of Glendale’s Zoning Ordinance.  With 
the addition to the rear of the property the current setback that is already in place (non-
conforming) is not being changed.  In fact, the property to the east of me has a 7 feet setback on 
the east side and 18 feet setback on the west side which does not meet the current setback 
requirements.  The property to the south of me has an east side setback of 6 feet and a west 
side setback of 12 feet which also currently does not meet current setback requirements.  There 
is a property to the east of me which currently has a zero setback to the east side, which does 
not meet current zoning requirements.  All properties in this area do not meet setback 
requirements and due to the way this properties were built, I will not deprive privileges enjoyed 
by other property of the same classification in the same zoning district. 
 
3. There are special circumstances or conditions applicable to the property including its size, 
shape, topography, location, or surroundings which were not self imposed by the owner: 
When I acquired the property the setbacks were non-conforming and did not meet the current 
Zoning Ordinance of the City of Glendale.  My current setbacks on the property will still remain 
the same as I am only planning on enclosing the rear patio to livable space.  With me enclosing 
the patio I am not imposing a violation which was not already on my property.  All the 
properties in this neighborhood or that surround my property do not meet the current setbacks 
as stated in the current Zoning Ordinance of 20 feet. 
 
4. The variance is the minimum necessary to alleviate the property hardship: 
Since the property is already in violation of the current zoning ordinance and it was this way 
when I purchased it, I am only adding to the rear which is not creating the violation of not 
meeting the current side yard setback requirements for this property.  That hardship was 
already there when the property was purchased and all the properties surrounding me have the 
same type of “hardship” on their properties where they are not meeting the current setback 
requirements. 
 
5. Granting the variance will not have a detrimental effect on the property, adjoining property, 
the surrounding neighborhood, or the City in general: 
VAR21-04
Cecilia Romero Variance
05/26/2021

By looking at the current condition of the property there is nothing that is being changed.  The 
setbacks will still be the same as they have been since the properties were constructed, with the 
only difference that I am adding livable space to the rear.  The livable space that is being added 
will not be detrimental to the neighbors or neighborhood as we are all under the same situation 
of not meeting the current setback requirements on our property.  There are no new setback 
hardships that are being created by this construction that are not already on the property. 
 
I purchased this property on March 1, 2016, where inspections were done and researched showed that 
the current setbacks on this R-3 property were considered non-conforming.  I have gone back to at least 
the year 2012 where it shows that my property along with many others were not meeting the setback 
requirements and many other properties have also added livable units/space which created a setback 
violation.  By me requesting this variance I am not imposing any additional hardships that are already in 
place at my current property.