Design review board urges denial of Linden Lane driveway variance, sends recommendation to BZA

The City of Milton Design Review Board recommended denial to the Board of Zoning Appeals of a variance request that would allow a driveway and portion of a home to encroach into a 20‑foot secondary rural viewshed on Linden Lane.

Staff presenter Michael Cardiman explained that a previously issued permit from 2022 showed a driveway inside the viewshed; the permit expired and a later resubmittal prompted staff review and discovery that the revised plans now require a variance. Cardiman said staff had presented an alternative: flip the driveway to the other side of the lot so no variance would be required.

Applicant Solomon Lee said the proposed layout places the master bedroom away from the road and was intended to respect the neighbor’s backyard and outdoor kitchen. Lee said the alternate configuration would put the neighboring home’s outdoor living area adjacent to the driveway and could create privacy and light‑spill concerns.

Board members asked whether the driveway‑flip option had been presented to the neighbor and whether the applicant had tried other orientations or site tweaks. The design committee had reviewed the variance and “recommends denial,” Cardiman said, noting the committee’s view that no hardship justified the variance because a feasible, non‑encroaching alternative exists.

After discussion, the board voted unanimously to recommend denial to the Board of Zoning Appeals so the BZA can consider the variance record and alternatives. The recommendation will be included in the packet for the BZA hearing; the applicant may present evidence of hardship or altered plans at that hearing.