ROME — An area variance was granted for a second-floor dormer on the rear of a home on Elm Street during the monthly meeting of the city Zoning Board of Appeals held in Common Council Chambers of City Hall Wednesday.

Mortis Lopez, owner of 703 Elm St., sought an area variance for the proposed second-floor rear dormer because the existing building is within the required northern side yard setback, and the construction of the dormer would further the non-conformance of the setback vertically within an R-2 zone. According to City Code, the minimum interior side setback in an R-2 zone is 8 feet.

Zoning board members agreed the variance would not create an undesirable change in the character of the neighborhood because there are other houses on Elm Street with dormers, and there would be no expansion of the building footprint as part of the proposed construction.

The area variance request was unanimously approved.