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Lancaster BZA approves 4‑foot side‑yard variance for Corotomen lot to allow 24x32 house
Summary
The Lancaster County Board of Zoning Appeals approved a variance reducing the side‑yard setback from 25 feet to 21 feet for a 70‑foot‑wide lot in the Corotomen By The Bay subdivision so River Properties can build a 24x32 single‑family home on tax map 20d‑4‑113.
The Lancaster County Board of Zoning Appeals on a unanimous vote approved a variance reducing the side‑yard setback from 25 feet to 21 feet so River Properties may build a 24‑by‑32 single‑family house on a 70‑foot‑wide lot in the Corotomen By The Bay subdivision (tax map 20d‑4‑113).
County staff presented the request under “zoning ordinance article 5‑5 yard regulations,” explaining the lot predates the zoning ordinance and that current setbacks leave only a 20‑foot building envelope on a 70‑foot lot. The memo included an aerial photo, subdivision survey and a proposed floor plan.
Why it matters: many lots in Corotomen By The Bay are narrow and were created before the county adopted current setback rules. As housing designs have grown wider, property owners sometimes need lot‑line relief to place conventional house plans on older lots, raising questions about consistency and precedent.
At the public hearing, adjacent property owner Travis Givens (District 1) raised concerns about how the applicant measures building width and whether proposed roof overhangs are included in the 24‑foot width, and cited what he said were prior denials in the neighborhood. "The 24 feet that the applicant is requesting should be inclusive of overhang as well, is our understanding," Givens said. County staff confirmed overhangs are included when they exceed the usual allowance (typically two feet) and that no written objections from neighbors had been received.
Board members discussed the narrowness of the lot and the minimal size of the requested encroachment. A board member moved to approve the variance; the motion was seconded and the board recorded four affirmative votes. The formal action allows the applicant to encroach four feet into the northerly sideline and proceed with a 24‑foot‑wide house at the parcel identified in the staff memo.
The approval was tied to the location and plans submitted to the board; the transcript shows no additional conditions or permits imposed by the BZA in the hearing record. Any required building permits and inspections remain subject to county permitting procedures.
