November 3, 2024

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Phoenix homeowners upset at neighbor for building giant pool house/garage

Phoenix homeowners upset at neighbor for building giant pool house/garage

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — You can see it from the street and down the block, but the best view of the large building is from Stephanie Jacques’ backyard.

“My first reaction was despair,” Jacques said. “It was heartbreaking that this was going to be the new view of my backyard.”

“For the past six weeks, the Phoenix mom and her kids have been hanging out in their pool with a giant structure hovering over them.

Jacques’ neighbor is building a two-story pool house and garage near 54th Street and Cactus Road in north Phoenix, which has upset several surrounding homeowners.

The structure is taller than any home on the block.

“I understand adding value to your property, but not at the expense of diminishing the value of the property of your neighbor,” said Jacques. “It completely encompasses our backyard and changes the whole overall environment. We don’t have privacy anymore.”

Last month, Arizona’s family spoke to a Phoenix homeowner a couple of miles away who also raised concerns about a casita under construction that’s blocking her backyard view.

The city’s new casita law to address the housing crisis has sparked a wave of new construction.

In this case, the guest house, or ADU, met city guidelines by not being taller than 15 feet and no more than 1,000 square feet.

But the pool house construction is different. City officials say it is not a casita because it doesn’t have a kitchen, and no one will live there.

The structure also exceeds the size of what’s allowed, so a “use permit” needs to be approved by the city.

“If they needed to build a casita in backyard, that would be fine,” said Jacques. “But this is two stories, over 20 feet tall, over 1,200 square feet; this is a second home.”

Phoenix City Council member Jim Waring (District 2) said that a public hearing has been scheduled for Thursday, July 25. At this hearing, a zoning adjustment officer will review the case and determine whether construction can continue.

“The neighbors affected should absolutely align themselves of their right to petition their government in this case, and go to the judge and state why they think it is the wrong decision for their neighborhood,” said Waring. “Of course, the people who are building are also going to be there and state their case.”

Jacques said the city’s height and size restrictions are there for a reason and need to be enforced.

“I am here to be their neighbor, but this is not neighborly,” said Jacques.

The homeowner building the pool house/garage said they are in compliance and hope to be granted a “use permit.”

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