At a public hearing, the Mecklenburg County zoning board approved setback variances that allow two proposed homes on adjacent lots owned by John Kevin Gray to be built closer to the road than current yard regulations require.
The board approved a variance for Lot 1 to reduce the front setback to 71 feet 8 inches from the required 100 feet, and a second variance for the adjacent lot to reduce the front setback to 74 feet and the rear setback to 27.3 feet from the required 30 feet. The motions passed by voice vote after brief discussion and no recorded roll-call tallies were given.
Board members and staff said the lots—each roughly 128–131 feet deep—cannot accommodate a conforming house footprint under the existing setback rules. A county speaker noted a historic house once sat farther back on one parcel and that the small lot depths make by-right construction infeasible. John Kevin Gray, the listed applicant, told the board he relied on his realtor and the seller’s contractor, Clayton Homes, to handle permitting and said he was unaware the lots would require variances. "I was unaware of that. I went on the guidance of my realtor," Gray said.
Neighbors and public commenters submitted letters and raised objections at the hearing, some focusing on the type of dwelling and others on the reduced setbacks. Board members noted that objections about dwelling type are outside the scope of a setback variance. The board also discussed that the lots were split historically and that county rules require a minimum one-acre lot fronting a public road; staff said the splits occurred before current enforcement and that the parcels predate the present zoning constraints.
The zoning office packet lists the first parcel by county tax map number 420008081 (parcel record 39973, deed book LR2447.91) and the second as tax map number 42000808002 (parcel record 39974). The packet shows a building permit date of Jan. 30, 2025, for the first home. Board members said they have approved similar variances when applicants brought requests before construction began, and several members said they would likely have approved if the application had been filed earlier.
No additional conditions or implementation deadlines were recorded at the hearing. Staff indicated both lots will need separate septic/drain-field approvals; the board noted the parcels are separate and each has or will require its own septic system approval.
The approvals conclude the public-hearing items for the two lots; the board moved on to a third, separate variance request later in the meeting.