The Mesa Board of Adjustment approved a variance to allow a 6-foot wall around the front yard of a home that would enclose a swimming pool.
The board voted 4-1 Aug. 6 to approve the variance for the home at 3747 E. Kael St. Boardmember Gerson Barrera dissented. Board members Heath Reed and Troy Glover were absent.
A 6,568-square-foot single-family home is being constructed on the subject property and is permitted. The request for a 6-foot-high fence meets two of four findings in the zoning ordinance, and city staff recommend denial of the variance, Staff Planner Noah Bulson said during a study session prior to the meeting.
“The approved construction plans show this 6-foot-tall wall along the front yard in front of the pool area,” he said. “So what’s being proposed in this variance is some additional hardscape improvements around the pool area... (and) as a result of those improvements the property owner has proposed to relocate a 6-foot wall within the front yard setback.”
Per the Mesa zoning ordinance, no fence or wall within the required front yard shall exceed a height of 3.5 feet, or 4.5 feet with the topmost 1.5 feet being visually transparent and not opaque, Bulson said.
“The applicant is requesting to allow a 6-foot tall wall within the required 30-foot front setback,” he said.
Aaron Hillman of Hillman Workshop is the applicant. William Bradley Woodruff is the owner.
The home in the gated 33-lot single-family housing development of Villa Tuscano is framed and under construction, Hillman wrote in the project narrative.
“The master plan is unique circular lot layout that promotes an elevated neighborhood aesthetic for the residents... However, due to the circular layout of the properties there are unique lot shapes that are not common for single family housing developments,” it states.
“The proposed layout of the home is designed to create an outdoor courtyard with a pool that shifts the massing of the home away from the street. The shift of the building mass around the courtyard to the rear of the property emphasizes landscape along the street frontage creating a more pleasant aesthetic for the neighbors,” Hillman said in the project narrative.
The seven-member Board of Adjustment conducts public meetings to hear and decide requests for variances, special-use permits and interpretations of the city of Mesa zoning ordinance and sign code. Members are appointed for staggered terms of three years, according to the city’s website.
Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on X @rhdyer. To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
Meet Richard Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.
Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions.
Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.
Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.
Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.
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