Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Council upholds neighborhood setback, denies variance for narrow Bayou Bernard lot
Summary
Gulfport City Council granted an appeal and overturned a previously approved variance for a narrow waterfront lot off Bayou Bernard, siding with neighbors who said the lot was never intended for housing and raising concerns about drainage and property character.
The Gulfport City Council voted to grant an appeal that effectively denies a requested front-yard setback variance for a narrow lot off Bayou Bernard, siding with neighbors who said the parcel was never intended for new development.
The contested property (subject of Board of Adjustment/Planning variances) sits on a narrow finger of land off Switzer Road. The applicant’s agent, John Ruble, told the council the parcel was “extremely narrow” and that his client, Billy Carney, planned a waterfront house and had secured Corps permission for dredging on the water side. Ruble described the design goals: “He’s trying to put something nice in there that would look like the rest of the community… the only way to do that is to encroach the setbacks a little.”
Neighbors and appellants urged denial. Samson Vasquez, one appellant, said he understood the earlier approval to be a 15-foot setback and noted that the…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
