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BZA grants variance to build accessory dwelling unit and shop before primary home in Maloney Meadow parcel
Summary
The board approved a variance allowing construction of an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) with an attached shop ahead of the primary residence on a roughly 27-acre Maloney Meadow parcel, with separate utilities and footprint exceptions cited in the application.
The Clay County Board of Zoning Adjustment approved a variance allowing an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) with an attached shop to be built before the construction of a primary dwelling on a roughly 27-acre lot in the Maloney Meadow subdivision.
Applicants Keith and Grace Dahlgren told the board the property’s steep topography and drop-offs make locating the ADU within 100 feet of a future primary residence impractical. Keith Dahlgren said the lot’s terrain “steeply drops off both sides” and that the proposed shop is needed to store equipment and tractors while they begin work and development.
Under the county’s accessory-dwelling rules (section 1516.3.a), ADUs are normally required to be within 100 feet of the primary structure, share utilities, have a living area of 750–850 square feet and have a maximum combined footprint (including garage) of 1,200 square feet. The Dahlgrens requested relief to allow the ADU to be placed farther than 100 feet from the future primary residence, to have separate utilities and to attach a larger shop that increases the footprint beyond the usual limit; they indicated the living-space portion conforms to the 750–850-square-foot range and the ADU would remain limited to two bedrooms and 1.5 baths.
Staff reviewed topography and utility concerns and supplied a letter from Platt-Clay Electric indicating the distance to the nearest service point and describing potential electrical solutions. Commissioners noted the lot’s shape and steep slopes as a special condition that reduces feasible building locations. Several nearby neighbors and acquaintances of the applicants spoke in support, describing the Dahlgrens as community-minded and noting no objections from adjacent property owners in the record.
After board discussion about the unique site constraints and infrastructure solutions, a motion to approve the requested variance carried on a second and recorded vote. The board’s approval permits the owners to apply for building and septic permits consistent with the variance; staff noted septic, building permit and electrical transformer/voltage-drop requirements must be satisfied in the standard permitting process.
The variance approval is limited to the plans presented; any future change in use or additional dwelling units would require separate review.
