Twenty years ago, Duane Herbert tried to get a building permit for a large side lot in his neighborhood. He was turned down because the lot lacked several feet of frontage.
"It's still a weed patch," Herbert said.But probably not for long. The City Council approved an amendment that will allow Herbert and other Orem residents to develop property that formerly was too narrow to meet the front-width requirement for a building lot.
Bruce Higley, chairman of the Orem Board of Adjustments, told the council the board receives numerous requests from older residents who are no longer able to care for large lots and want to split them. But they can't because the second lots lack frontage - in some cases as few as four feet. Often the properties have more than adequate square footage overall, however.
"As it stands, we cannot grant any kind of variance with this,"
Higley said.
The change permits residents with large properties to apply for a variance that allows them to split their lot.
The lot on which the residents' home sits must meet all zone requirements.
The new lot must meet 80 percent of the front-width requirement in the R-1-8 zone and 90 percent of the width requirement in all other residential zones. The lots must meet all other area and setback requirements, and a proposed house plan for the subdivided lot must be shown at the time the variance is requested.
The Planning Commission also voiced support for the amended ordinance.
Chairman Paul Washburn said the ordinance provides a way to rid Orem of isolated lots that are often little more than weed patches now, as well as stimulate development in older neighborhoods.