2nd Story Addition Variances

[Rohan Pryce]

My brother and I are doing a reno where we plan on popping the top on a ranch built in 1950. City of Atlanta have said we'll need a variance (bummer)

Is anyone willing to give examples of hardships that they've been able to use to give justification that allowed you to get your variance application approved..?

We've never done a reno of this magnitude before so we're a bit stumped on what to say in the justification letter. 

Any thoughts/suggestions based on your own experiences dealing with variances would be sincerely appreciated. Thanks!