[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6788632,"mediaKeyId","5563711-d07e120024c4f9b4f0d54b882e29d10b","parentId",5563711,"title","BZA continues 1337 Olive Street carriage-house variance to Sept. 9 for measurement and design review","audioSeconds",1379,"startMs",3346405,"endMs",4726250,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5563711-d07e120024c4f9b4f0d54b882e29d10b&start=3346&end=4726","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5563711-d07e120024c4f9b4f0d54b882e29d10b/thumbnail_3346405.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6788632/Indianapolis-City/Marion-County/Indiana/BZA-continues-1337-Olive-Street-carriage-house-variance-to-Sept-9-for-measurement-and-design-review","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6788632-76d8ef79bd8e2913f17fd401cb85318d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771027074&Signature=YF0w117nYUlveFYiCCfVWROrZaQWOSpJ9IfVYBCxb19Da7zuNFWtX5w4XSXpTDzRv0-3ft2lVZsLLawChQDrzdGdD~ZBlarvKNQ1GDgRBLS~fTsVkKAeA1fdx~KTO4jmeXWD-TWVj7fS6f7Kswhjzui79cB5yP0STGOgRLzrwmLBGNt4dlViqK-METfnZaW3icPJM8GzW~fVEfCsAEetyRrNXwfgfSJt9iGaOH~0O1EkBlA00pn506yWM50v0GtpF4ENDzKTlDRQSVZlzaHSEk2PLhiQeMSu93LsTw4J7lflHmxJuEfLJy6jFWvW1ZTCxrO9-d2Q0FrC3kpWHyqxLw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Indianapolis, IN","date","2025-08-12T00:00:00Z","article","The Metropolitan Board of Zoning Appeals continued a petition for a carriage-house variance at 1337 Olive Street to its September 9 docket after the petitioner and staff agreed additional measurements and design adjustments were needed.

Petitioner Brandon Spitz and representative Sharman Frye asked the board for approval to build a 23.624-foot carriage house where the primary dwelling was listed as 22 feet. Staff recommended denial, noting the proposed accessory structure would be taller than the primary and closer to the side lot line than ordinance standards, and urged alterations to show compliance.

Spitz acknowledged potential errors in the application and said he would verify the existing dwelling height and consider design changes. “I made a mistake... I filed the permit,” Spitz said, noting he had since begun the permit process. Board members discussed whether a separate vote on height should be taken or if the case should be continued so the applicant could confirm measurements.

The board voted to continue the petition without additional notice to the September 9 meeting, giving the petitioner time to refine the plans and supply clearer height measurements and permit documentation.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council of Indianapolis, IN - Board of Zoning Appeals, Division 2","oneSentenceSummary","Petitioner for a 23.624-foot carriage house at 1337 Olive Street requested a continuance and the board agreed to continue to September 9 to allow verification of the existing primary dwelling’s height and additional plan revisions.","taxTitle","Indianapolis City, Marion County, Indiana","taxId",3627,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6788637,"BZA denies request for 8-foot fence at 1144 Navajo Trail, cites code and lack of practical difficulty",955,2379980,3335110,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5563711-d07e120024c4f9b4f0d54b882e29d10b&start=2379&end=3335","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5563711-d07e120024c4f9b4f0d54b882e29d10b/thumbnail_2379980.jpg","/articles/6788637/Indianapolis-City/Marion-County/Indiana/BZA-denies-request-for-8-foot-fence-at-1144-Navajo-Trail-cites-code-and-lack-of-practical-difficulty","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6788637-6ff51f49619eddaf2758bc9137a3461a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771027074&Signature=LDdSp1KnSu31MQYB7J7SkUBxNgxzJ4rl74y11drSSt5l2z9OpHsx6lCSJ8MicuQnRw0maTDm9ZM1DZwaxcB2mooQnEMHUjroy0CXnAsc40geSYZ6f-vZWjzIQAkU7fzInnr8IvpMcZQ572P63TjDXtvIB8o3y2c3Qpe2v~Xli4QWn8-DKturEmpCoyV2yknQJD-ZKQgxqbN06FsslDS0dD1AeuqYSuJPwqQ~wjoq7ZDtxg~k5-fYf7Pb7nc92ThvmnkcA6aEo3wfwD~mM6dgPvycI-DXMIdTW1CWgBSnYdDHTcPX89Gp798MOufo7F-v-WN3xFMgy5GsHYS9mJu55Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Metropolitan Board of Zoning Appeals denied a petitioner’s request to allow an 8-foot fence at 1144 Navajo Trail South Drive, recording three no votes.

Petitioner Harriet Greenland testified she had maintained an earlier fence for 14 years and said recent behaviors by a neighbor led her to add a 2-foot lattice for privacy. “This is just in the middle to discourage unpleasant behaviors and for me to have the privacy, security, and safety that I had for 23 years before this started,” Greenland said.

Neighbor Robert Bridal opposed the variance, describing past interactions and citing ordinance limits on front- and side-yard heights. Staff explained that a lattice element counts as an addition under the consolidated zoning and subdivision ordinance and that staff found no true practical difficulty justifying the lattice. The staff report noted alternatives such as landscaping and that six-foot privacy fences typically satisfy privacy needs.

After rebuttals from both sides, the board voted to deny the variance. The official tally recorded Tom Barnes no, Craig Van Dalen no, and Beth Brandon no; the variance was not granted.

The denial leaves the property subject to enforcement under the zoning code; the petitioner may seek other remedies or bring forward a revised application addressing staff’s concerns and the board’s reasons for denial.","The board denied Harriet Greenland’s request for an 8-foot fence (a 2-foot lattice addition over a 6-foot fence), with staff saying the lattice counts as an addition under the zoning ordinance and that the petitioner failed to show the required practical difficulty.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6788642,"BZA grants fence variance at 3870 Broadway after board secures safety commitments",995,1362270,2358035,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5563711-d07e120024c4f9b4f0d54b882e29d10b&start=1362&end=2358","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5563711-d07e120024c4f9b4f0d54b882e29d10b/thumbnail_1362270.jpg","/articles/6788642/Indianapolis-City/Marion-County/Indiana/BZA-grants-fence-variance-at-3870-Broadway-after-board-secures-safety-commitments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6788642-eb170b8cea6f1861f6fe8387e649f3d7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771027074&Signature=JI1c9PR30Doih5U3mNSSyMU85bH58hQ6slHMJsJi392QdTOw4DZ1zx54z0WpfpTTwDprepqYboTHQbVWn1yNxhHkBzfnMIyICHJVXXW~Xved9H2UNMkHTFYNKlaoBuClOH5rS8taWZ0T5zXT3WBMkh8KKxG3siI8LigK~n97TUPIvrfkwmOYAcaVdtZ1xiq~tLu~zytfB0FAdnds49Gunq8jpAjPSDktFtlO4P~70kX2h312-wRPpXlFm8vE6h6gKnKUo-t3LgVDvg4njBY~u1vi2FCkLGJ6rvExRPijvKZ0TqIf9m5UPSft8UgkNebo4Z6UodOmVNVRycHnzRN8Sg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Metropolitan Board of Zoning Appeals (Division 2) voted unanimously to grant a variance for a fence at 3870 Broadway, subject to board-imposed commitments meant to protect sightlines and child safety. Petitioners had asked to keep a 6½-foot fence that staff said encroached into the clear-sight triangle.

Resident Rebecca Garcia told the board the fence “is good, for the neighborhood and also for our family protection, mainly after the shooting that happened,” and said neighbors had submitted letters of support. Staff recommended denial, saying the fence appeared to be a self-imposed condition and posed a safety hazard because it intruded into the sight triangle.

During discussion, staff planner Eddie O’Nea said measurements showed the fence measured about 51 inches from grade at certain points and noted a recently added retaining wall would itself remain in the sight triangle even if the fence were moved. The board questioned whether a compromise could reduce the hazard without removing the retaining wall.

Board members and staff negotiated a compromise that the petitioner accepted: remove the top two boards on both frontages and cut fence posts so posts extend no more than one foot above the top of the fence. “If the petitioner were to remove the top 2 boards all the way across both frontages, staff would be willing to switch its recommendation,” O’Nea said; the petitioner agreed “for sure.”

Chair Craig Van Dalen said the board’s vote would be subject to that commitment; the board then voted to grant the variance with the conditions recorded in the minutes.

The decision resolves a contested enforcement matter by tying the variance to an explicit, board-enforced commitment to alter the fence. The board recorded the vote as Tom Barnes yes, Craig Van Dalen yes, and Beth Brandon yes. The petitioner will be required to file an affidavit of compliance as specified by the board’s rules.","The Metropolitan Board of Zoning Appeals granted a variance for a tall fence at 3870 Broadway but required the petitioner to remove the top two boards around both frontages and cut fence posts so posts extend no more than one foot above the fence to preserve the clear-sight triangle and address child-safety concerns.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6788627,"BZA grants front-yard pole barn at 5227 Knowlton Road after staff recommends approval with permit conditions",2028,4744220,6772490,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5563711-d07e120024c4f9b4f0d54b882e29d10b&start=4744&end=6772","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5563711-d07e120024c4f9b4f0d54b882e29d10b/thumbnail_4744220.jpg","/articles/6788627/Indianapolis-City/Marion-County/Indiana/BZA-grants-front-yard-pole-barn-at-5227-Knowlton-Road-after-staff-recommends-approval-with-permit-conditions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6788627-be1e977416311a630cad8673d3eda9de/orig.mp4?Expires=1771027074&Signature=jDxdRG68utw5EN3R-UztPMI4364u6C65xTmI0wlt0m7dkXaeOYRFDyL8cXuLZMIQ2xTOcxG-qcCCEIAfDwjaPGwrAJritWVsyD8y3zkZJ7c5kK42SvS3W8ZoJpQqnEcvyeVM4NPkDsPyOUPNVa~sq7SZXkNvULBt~h~1LyP3UCBYRC45RzaLz74sPRt-K0Xto4U5LHox-63naC4-ypLn1J5zD6xiPcg676httwocaNYPVtNdYcAdboMedOKfNSsqvlLRm7z2igNKPP1WxwyRjbKGiCe2~w4WT03~cz9Uicq3ElZTdKPtFrYD5MxtD27TsD2O2mUQRjAZmEQDB9UCRg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Metropolitan Board of Zoning Appeals granted a variance to allow a 1,440-square-foot accessory structure in the front yard of 5227 Knowlton Road, siding with staff’s recommendation that locating the building in the front yard would minimize disturbance to environmentally sensitive rear-yard areas.

Attorney David Dearing, representing the petitioner John Puffer, argued that placing the building adjacent to the existing driveway would limit disturbance and preserve roughly 30% tree canopy the comprehensive plan’s environmentally sensitive overlay encourages. Puffer said the structure was intended for residential accessory functions and storage, and described cleanup work he had done on the property: “I have a tractor... I want to turn my garage... into their playroom,” he said, explaining the need to move equipment and tools out of the current garage.

Neighbor Dorothy Fiebelman opposed the request and urged environmental review and floodplain analysis, calling for an environmental impact study and raising concerns about drainage and nearby Crooked Creek. Fiebelman asked for detail on footing depth, pole installation and potential erosion impacts.

Staff recommended approval and noted the proposed building would be approximately 115 feet east of the floodplain boundary and that flood and drainage permits would still be required before construction. Staff said locating the building in the front yard would minimize additional clearing versus siting it in the rear and suggested the board could impose commitments to preserve trees and require administrative approval for minor adjustments.

After hearing rebuttals, the board voted to grant the variance unanimously (Beth Brandon yes; Craig Van Dalen yes; Tom Barnes yes). The approval is subject to normal permitting and any commitments the board elects to impose; staff told the board that flood and drainage reviews would be required before issuance of an improvement location permit.

The decision resolves a practical-difficulty argument the applicant made, but the petitioner must still secure flood/drainage permits and comply with any tree-preservation commitments the board records.","The board approved a variance to build a 1,440-square-foot, 15-foot-tall pole barn in the front yard at 5227 Knowlton Road, accepting staff’s recommendation that environmental and flood-permitting reviews occur before construction and noting commitments to minimize tree removal and disturbance.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

BZA continues 1337 Olive Street carriage-house variance to Sept. 9 for measurement and design review

BZA denies request for 8-foot fence at 1144 Navajo Trail, cites code and lack of practical difficulty

BZA grants fence variance at 3870 Broadway after board secures safety commitments

BZA grants front-yard pole barn at 5227 Knowlton Road after staff recommends approval with permit conditions