A request for a code variance allowing a 1,500 square foot garage addition was approved 3-0 by the Hennessey Board of Adjustment Tuesday, Oct. 19.

The town’s code allowed for only a 1,000 square foot garage replacement at 500 S. Cimarron.

There are five lots on that property owned by Megan and Tanner Choate. They’d applied for a building permit last month to replace their garage and both were at this week’s meeting.

Board Chairman Richard Hedrick asked where the garage would be located.

Megan Choate said it would be connected to the side of the house and would be even with the front of the house.

After asking if there were more questions, Hedrick said, “It looks like it will fit in there nicely,” then motioned to approve the variance.

Members Logan Macy and Dustin Vinson agreed.

( Note: There are usually five members of that board, but three recently resigned, including Macy who is moving outside the town limits soon).

New garage is necessary

Megan Choate told the board the current garage is “falling in,” and they planned to tear it down.

They also planned to get “rid of a little shed” and make “a new driveway (instead of a rock driveway) with a culvert,” she said.

The Choate’s Sept. 1 building permit request asked for a 1,500 square foot wood frame steel building (metal roof and exterior).

The permit form also had a spot for who the builder would be, said Tanner Choate.

“But I didn’t want to get one until the permit was Ok’d.”

Before their vote, all three board members looked over printed copies of maps and reports they’d been e-mailed earlier.

The 5 p.m. meeting adjourned at 5:05 p.m.

In addition to those mentioned, also present were Deputy Town Clerk/ Minutes Clerk Kati Walters, Town Administrator Tiffany Tillman, Building Inspector David Treanor, Treasurer (and Town Hall Office Manager) Shelley Burch, and Sewer Superintendent Bryan Burch.

Earlier Called Meeting

The board had scheduled an Oct. 11 meeting about the request, but KT&FP Editor Michael Swisher objected to the meeting being held.

He wrote that the agenda did not meet the state notice requirements of the state Open Meeting Act.

That agenda read: “Tanner Choate-500 S. Cimmaron,- Lot Coverage.”

That act requires that agenda items be written with sufficient specificity that the average citizen could readily discern the action contemplated by the Board of Adjustment.