License and Variance Board - A. Max Bacon City Hall - Council Chambers — Minutes
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January 14, 2026 10:00 AM City of Smyrna License and Variance Board Meeting 2800 King Street SE Council Chambers Page 2 of 15 The motion to approve carried with the following vote: Aye: 3 – Chairperson Garland, Board Member Worthy, Board Member Mohrmann Nay: 0 – None Recuse: 0 – None B. V25-109 Public Hearing - Variance Request - V25-109 - Allow encroachment into the City's 75- foot impervious surface setback - Land Lot 525 - 3344 Dunn Street - Kelly Robison Ward 6 Mayor Pro Tem / Councilmember - Tim Gould Caitlin Crowe, Land Development Services Coordinator, provided the following background: The subject parcel is a 0.53-acre lot located on the west side of Dunn Street. The subject parcel and adjacent parcels to the north, east, and south are zoned R-20 whereas the parcels to the west are zoned R-15; all are occupied by single-family detached residences. A creek runs diagonally through the property, nearly bisecting it in two. The subject property is currently occupied by a split-level 2,380 square foot home and 35 square foot shed in the far rear of the property. The applicant is proposing to replace the existing carport and brick patio with a new two-story garage and living space on the northern portion of the home. The first floor will consist of a two-car garage, mud room, and office, while the second floor (accessed via an interior stairway) will consist of an additional bedroom and bathroom. The garage will be accessed off the existing driveway, which will be expanded slightly to accommodate the new garage width. Due to the creek, the subject property is greatly impacted by the State’s 25-foot stream buffer, City’s 50-foot undisturbed buffer, and the City’s 75-foot impervious surface setback. The subject parcel was originally platted and built in 1954, prior to the Smyrna Stream Buffer Ordinance, which was implemented in 2005. Since the existing house was built in 1954, the majority of the existing house itself is within the State and City’s stream buffers. To keep the addition within the footprint of the previous carport and patio as much as possible, the addition will continue to encroach into the City’s 75-foot impervious surface setback. Additionally, the new addition will expand into the front setback by 4.9 feet and into the side setback 7 feet to allow for the width needed for the two-car garage. The applicant will mitigate the 600 square feet of new and replaced impervious surface by installing an underground storage trench system with four flowells directly behind the new addition. The Engineering Department has reviewed the application and accompanying mitigation plan and supports the method used for buffer mitigation. Community Development believes the hardship is not self-created, as the house footprint has existed before the stream buffer ordinance was adopted. Due to the existing house’s location, the most logical area to construct the garage addition is in line with the existing driveway, within the front and side setback, to decrease disturbance to the subject property. Community Development believes these are the minimum variances needed to allow for any expansion due to the stream buffers, and that there should be no negative impacts to adjacent properties if approved. Similar stream buffer variances have been approved throughout the city when an appropriate mitigation method has been included. Similar setback variances have been approved at 3480 Dunn Street in 2006 (V06-061), 3448 Dunn Street in 2013 (V13-025) and 3149 Dunn Street in 2024 (V24-024) so there is