Feb 18, 2026 Zoning Board of Adjustment

ALL RIGHT

[00:00:06]

[CALL TO ORDER AND ANNOUNCE A QUORUM]

SO WE HAVE FOUR IN ATTENDANCE. AND THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS TO DISCUSS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION ON THE MINUTES

[ITEM 1: Discuss and take appropriate action regarding December 15, 2025, BOA Minutes.]

AFTER REVIEWING THE MINUTES, I WILL HAPPILY MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM DECEMBER 15TH, 2025. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM MASON. DO WE HAVE A SECOND FROM DANNY.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ALL RIGHT. THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.

[ITEM 2: BOA-25-0012 – A request by Christopher Evan and Madalynn Renee Vanover, property owners, pursuant to the City of Decatur Code of Ordinances, Appendix B, “Zoning,” Section 4.3.7, “Special Exceptions.” The request is for a Special Exception to the City of Decatur Code of Ordinances, Appendix B, “Zoning,” Article 5, “Zoning Districts,” Section 5.1, “Zoning Districts Established,” Subsection 5.1.3, “SF-2, SingleFamily District,” D, “Area Regulations,” (1), “Size of Yards,” (a), “Minimum Front Yard,” to allow the existing single-family structure to encroach 7.1 feet into front setback along S Trinity Street; and a Special Exception request to the City of Decatur Code of Ordinances, Article 7, “Development Standards,” Subsection 7.6.1, “Accessory Buildings and Structures in Residential Districts,” (B), “Side Yard,” to allow an existing shed structure to encroach 3.0 feet into the side yard along E Ward Street; and (C), “Rear Yard, to allow an existing shed structure to encroach 6.5 feet into the rear yard along S Market Street; and to allow a new garage building (accessory structure) in the rear of the property to encroach five (5) feet into the rear street yard along S Market Street, for the property located at 401 S Trinity Street, Decatur, Texas. (Vanover) ]

AND WE'LL ASK MS. HANNON TO GIVE US THE STAFF REPORT.

YES, SIR. LISA HANNON, PLANNING DIRECTOR FOR THE RECORD, WILL ENTER OUR STAFF REPORT INTO THE RECORD BY REFERENCE IN ITS ENTIRETY.

SO THIS IS A SPECIAL EXCEPTION REQUEST. WE HAVE A FEW ITEMS THAT WE WILL GO THROUGH.

IT'S AN EXISTING RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE AT 401 SOUTH TRINITY STREET.

THERE IS A 25-FOOT FRONT YARD SETBACK REQUIREMENT.

THERE IS AN EXISTING FRONT PORCH COVERED FRONT PORCH WHICH ENCROACHES 7.1FT INTO THAT FRONT YARD SETBACK ALONG TRINITY STREET.

THERE'S ALSO A SHED STRUCTURE. IT ENCROACHES 3.0 FEET ALONG THE SIDE YARD, ALONG EAST WARD, AND 6.5FT ALONG THE REAR YARD ALONG SOUTH MARTIN OR MARKET STREET.

IT'S A UNIQUE PROPERTY. IT HAS THREE STREETS TRINITY, WARD AND MARKET.

SO THEY ARE PROPOSING A NEW GARAGE STRUCTURE WHICH WILL ENCROACH 5.0 FEET.

IT'S REQUIRED TO HAVE A 10-FOOT REAR YARD SETBACK AND A MINIMUM OF A 3.0 FOOT SIDE YARD SETBACK.

SO THEY'RE OKAY ON THE SIDE, BUT IN THE REAR THEY'RE GOING TO ENCROACH 5.0 FEET ALONG THE MARKET STREET SIDE.

SO THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE DOES ALLOW VARIATIONS AND THE BOARD MAY APPROVE THESE SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS.

NO HARDSHIP IS REQUIRED FOR SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS.

SO IT DOES SHOW YOU HERE ON THE PLAT THE KIT.

THE PROPERTY OWNERS ARE TRYING TO PLAT THE PROPERTY, BUT THEY WANTED TO CLEAR UP ALL THE SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS BEFORE THEY FILED THEIR PLAT APPLICATION. SO THE BUILDING IS GOING TO BE ON THE SOUTHWEST CORNER.

THE NEW BUILDING WILL BE ON THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE PROPERTY, AND IT WILL.

WE ARE REQUIRING THAT IT GET PLATTED BEFORE THE SUBMITTAL OF ANY BUILDING PERMITS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION AND BEFORE THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION IS RECORDED. SO WE NOTIFIED 26 PROPERTY OWNERS. WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY RESPONSES TO THE OPPOSED NEUTRAL OR IN FAVOR. WE RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT CASE 25-0012 WITH THE CONDITION THAT THE PROPERTY IS PLATTED PRIOR TO THE SUBMITTAL OF BUILDING PERMITS AND BEFORE THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION IS RECORDED.

SO I'M HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS. AND THEN I HAVE THE RECOMMENDED ACTION ON THE NEXT SLIDE THAT CAN HELP YOU WITH YOUR MOTIONS.

AND I UNDERSTAND THIS NEEDS A PUBLIC HEARING.

WE'VE GOT IT SLATED FOR PUBLIC HEARING. YES WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 3:39 AND INVITE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE TO SPEAK.

IF THERE IS ANYBODY? ALL RIGHT. NO ONE ONLINE AND NO ONE'S ONLINE. OKAY. VERY GOOD. SO YOU CAN CLOSE YOUR PUBLIC HEARING.

[00:05:03]

SO WHEN YOU WHEN YOU PLAT, WHEN YOU CREATE THE PLAT FOR THAT INCLUDES THE GARAGE THAT'S NOT BUILT YET.

IS IT AN AS BUILT DRAWING? IT SHOWS WHERE THE GARAGE IS GOING TO BE? WILL REQUIRE LOCATION SURVEY ONCE THEY PUT THE FOUNDATION IN TO MAKE SURE IT FALLS WITHIN THE CORRECT SETBACKS.

SO TODAY WE WOULD BE ISSUING A SPECIAL EXCEPTION FOR THE LOCATION AS SHOWN TO US? CORRECT. YES, SIR. OKAY. HAVE THEY TAKEN STEPS TO GET IT PLATTED? THEY ARE WORKING THROUGH THAT PROCESS RIGHT NOW.

THEY HAVE NO OBJECTIONS. THEY CAME IN TO PLAT IT.

WE FOUND THE SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS. THEY TALKED TO US ABOUT BUILDING THE NEW GARAGE STRUCTURE.

AND WITH THEM WANTING IT A LITTLE BIT CLOSER IN THE REAR.

WE TOLD THEM IT WOULD REQUIRE ALL THIS, AND SO THEY DECIDED TO SUBMIT THIS FIRST, WORKING THROUGH THE PLANNING PROCESS NEXT.

IS THAT A REAR ENTRY GARAGE COMING OFF OF SOUTH MARKET STREET? NO, SIR. IT'S GOING TO COME IN OFF OF TRINITY, WHERE THEIR MAIN DRIVEWAY IS RIGHT NOW.

OKAY. OR THAT'S HOW IT'S PROPOSED RIGHT NOW. THEY HAVEN'T ASKED FOR ANY ACCESS OFF OF MARKET STREET.

NO RESPONSE IS RECEIVED FROM THE NEIGHBORS? NO, SIR.

AND IN YOUR OPINION, THIS WOULD STILL FIT WELL WITH THE NEIGHBORS ON SOUTH MARKET STREET? YES, SIR. THEY HAVE A PRIVACY FENCE BACK THERE AS WELL.

THEY'VE IMPROVED THE PROPERTY. THEY'VE CLEANED IT UP FROM.

IF YOU LOOK AT SOME GOOGLE EARTH PICTURES, COMPARED TO WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE BEFORE, IT'S BEEN CLEANED UP.

THEY'RE DOING THEIR BEST TO BRING IT INTO CONFORMANCE.

AND THE SHED IS INSIDE THE PRIVACY FENCE? YES, SIR.

CURRENTLY? YES, IT IS. WITH THE GARAGE BE INSIDE THAT? YES. SO THE FENCE RUNS ALONG THEIR PROPERTY LINE TO THE TO THE REAR AND THE SIDE.

ARE THESE NEW OWNERS? I BELIEVE SO. I DON'T THINK THEY'VE OWNED IT MORE THAN A COUPLE OF YEARS.

CHERYL? THEY JUST BOUGHT IT ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE ACTION ON ALL THE ITEMS TOGETHER.

CORRECT? YOU CAN YES. SO YOU CAN APPROVE OR DENY THE SPECIAL EXCEPTION ON 1, 2 AND 3.

OR YOU CAN APPROVE ALL OF THEM AS WRITTEN. SO WE WOULD BE MAKING A MOTION OR TAKING ACTION FOR THE EXISTING AND NEW STRUCTURES IN THE LOCATIONS THAT THEY EITHER ARE OR WILL BE.

AND THEY WOULD. CAN IT'D BE A SPECIAL EXCEPTION TO THE SETBACK, BUT IT WOULDN'T CHANGE THE SETBACK.

CORRECT. THAT IS CORRECT. I'M HAPPY TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE EXISTING AND PROPOSED STRUCTURES AND THEIR VARIOUS SETBACKS ALONG EACH OF THE RESPECTIVE STREETS.

OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION FROM MASON. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. SECOND FROM JAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT. ITEM 2 PASSES. THANK YOU LISA.

[ITEM 3: New and/or future business items. a. As of the agenda posting, the meeting on Monday, March 16, 2026, currently has one (1) BOA application. The application deadline is Monday, December 15, 2025, by 5 p.m. (The meeting will be an in-person meeting with potential virtual attendance of staff and members of the public unless otherwise determined.)]

AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE ONE. YES SIR. ITEM ON THAT AGENDA AT THIS TIME.

YES, SIR WE SURE DO. SHOULD HAVE MORE? FOR MARCH 16TH NO.

YES.

YOU COULD WE HAVE UNTIL MONDAY TO GET ANYTHING IN, BUT MOST LIKELY NOT.

WITH THE WITH THE ADVERTISING DEADLINES OF GETTING IT IN THE PAPER.

GOT IT. SO. AND YOU FEEL SURE THAT THAT APPLICATION WILL BE ON? HEARING NO FURTHER BUSINESS, WE STAND ADJOURNED AT 3:43.

THANK YOU ALL.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.