Board approves Fontana house and shed variances after split vote

The Walworth County Board of Adjustment on May 15 approved variances for a house rebuild and an existing shed at N1579 Sybil Lane in Fontana, allowing side and rear yard setbacks smaller than those in the Shoreland Zoning Ordinance.

The property owner (Nathan Taylor Design Group LLC) and applicant (Bob Elliott) requested reduced setbacks for the residence — 1.3 feet on the side and 3.6 feet in the rear — and for a shed with a 2.1‑foot side yard and 0.8‑foot rear yard, where the ordinance requires 8‑foot side and 25‑foot rear setbacks for the district.

Board members discussed whether the work represented new construction or a rebuild in the original footprint, and reviewed two surveys: one dated Nov. 13, 2023, and a zoning permit survey dated Feb. 24, 2025. The surveys showed small measurement differences among dimensions and indicated a prior bump‑out at the location in question. Staff told the board the modern measurements were within inches and that testimony indicated the structure was kept essentially in the same footprint.

Members split on the shed. Several said they would prefer the shed be moved to allow maintenance access and long‑term clearance (one member said a three‑foot clearance is needed for ladder access and upkeep). Others noted that if the owner had sought a permit before reconstruction, the shed likely could have remained where it is and the house could have been rebuilt in the same envelope.

The board ultimately voted to approve the entire request as presented; the transcript records a 2‑1 vote, with Anne Seiver dissenting. No additional enforcement conditions or timelines were announced at the hearing.

The board and staff noted that differences between surveyors’ rounding and measurement techniques can produce small variances in recorded dimensions; the applicant testified the shape and location did not change.