Narrative

City of Glendale — Regular Meeting (2023-04-13)

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VAR22-15 
Habitat for Humanity CAZ 
March 13, 2023 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
November 11, 2022 
 
 
City of Glendale 
Board of Adjustment 
5850 West Glendale, Suite #212 
Glendale, Arizona 85301 
 
Re: Narrative for a Variance Request on behalf of Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona (the 
“Applicant”): 7153 North 48th Lane, Glendale, Arizona 85301, Maricopa County Assessor’s Parcel 
Number 147-12-002. A Plat Map and a Zoning Map follow. 
 
The proposed development is compatible with the area, as it is surrounded by other 
similarly sized lots with homes, and other nearby single family and multi family residences. This 
application is also motivated by Habitat’s mission as a non-profit and is not self-imposed since 
the intent of the proposal is to meet a critical, affordable housing need. 
 
I. Introduction 
 
 
Habitat is a non-profit with the goal of providing safe, affordable housing to the working 
and eliminating substandard housing. Habitat has already built, renovated and repaired in excess 
of 3,158 homes in the metro Phoenix area as well as Pinal County (e.g. Avondale, Apache 
Junction, Chandler, Gilbert, Guadalupe, Glendale, Mesa, Peoria, Phoenix, Surprise, Tempe, 
Arizona City and Casa Grande). Habitat’s homes are built and renovated with energy efficiency 
in mind, are provided to stable, working families who are legal residents, and who exhibit a 
documented need for affordable housing in Arizona.

The Property is a vacant lot located one parcel south of the southeast corner of Myrtle 
Avenue and 48th Lane. According to our research with City Staff, the Property has no prior 
rezoning cases, stipulations, variances, use permits, or design review applications. According to 
Maricopa County Historical Aerials, the Property has been vacant since before 2012. The 
Property is zoned R-3, Multiple Residence District (“R-3”) and is adjacent to other residential 
homes within the R-3 to the east and west; R-4 and R1-6 Multiple Residence and Single Family 
Residence to the North and C-2 and C-3, Commerical to the south. The vacant lot currently has 
a single family residence situated on both the north and south sides with single family residential 
development to the east as well. See Aerial Map following. 
 
 
II. Variance Requests 
 
The purpose of the Applicant’s request is to allow the reasonable use of this lot for 
affordable housing by requesting relief from certain development standards due to the 
unique circumstances applicable to the Property. The Applicant seeks the following 
variance requests: 
 
1. Variance to reduce the minimum perimeter setback on the north side to five (5) feet. 
Minimum twenty (20) feet required. (Section 5.449.Table 2) 
2. Variance to reduce the minimum perimeter setback on the south side to ten (10) feet. 
Minimum twenty (20) feet required. (Section 5.449.Table 2) 
See Section 5.449.Table 2 of the Glendale Zoning Ordinance following.

III. 
The Requests Meet All Variance Criteria 
 
 
1. 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; 
 
The side setbacks required in the R-3, Multiple Residence Zoning District are not typical of 
single-family residential development, and further, not typical of existing development in 
the area. The majority of the surrounding area development contains a variety of setbacks 
that do not meet the current zoning requirements. The existing homes in the 
neighborhood are enjoying setbacks less than the twenty (20) feet required. 
 
2. Due to the special circumstances, the strict application of the Zoning Ordinance would 
deprive the property of privileges enjoyed by other properties of the same classification 
in the same zoning district; 
 
The strict application of the Zoning Ordinance would limit the property to twenty (20) foot 
side setbacks and limit the type of housing product to a total width of ten (10) feet. The 
majority of the properties in the neighborhood have setbacks that are similar to those 
proposed by Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona. 
 
3. The variance is the minimum necessary to alleviate the property hardship; and 
 
 
The requested side setbacks and minimum lot width reduction are the minimum necessary 
to construct a typically sized single-family residential home on the lot. The front and rear

setbacks, as well as the minimum lot depth, and size are in conformance with current R-3 
zoning requirements. 
 
4. Granting the variance will not have a detrimental effect on the property, adjoining 
property, the surrounding neighborhood, or the City in general. 
The requested building setbacks are consistent with other properties in the surrounding 
area and will not detrimentally affect any neighboring properties.