The Worcester County Board of Zoning Appeals approved a pair of small setback variances Oct. 9 to allow expansion of an open, permeable deck at 11406 Maiden Arms Lane in the Glen Riddle Farm development.

Applicant Holly Bergey asked the board for a 5.2-foot encroachment into the side yard setback (reducing the side from 10 feet to 4.8 feet) and a small rear-yard reduction of 0.125 feet (25 feet to 24.875 feet). She told the panel the property adjoins a stormwater-management pond and a golf course and that the proposed deck would be open and constructed with permeable materials so it would not increase impervious surface or impact the critical area.

Bergey said the current deck measures about 12 by 14 feet and the requested enlargement would be “modest in scope but meaningful in function,” providing safer, accessible outdoor space for family members who are disabled, including two disabled veterans. She told the board the house was built by a tract builder and the lot configuration — a corner lot where the house was sited toward the rear — limited building options.

Board members asked about steps and access; Bergey said existing stairs would remain and the enlargement would align with other homes in the neighborhood and HOA aesthetic standards. A neighbor spoke to clarify dimensions but did not state opposition. The board moved and seconded a motion to approve the case and recorded no opposition in the hearing minutes. Environmental permitting or other permit-stage requirements remain conditions for final construction.