Cobb County BZA approves three variances, denies one and continues another

The Cobb County Board of Zoning Appeals on March 12 continued one variance, approved variances for two properties with conditions and denied a separate request to place a shed in the front of a home.

The board continued variance case B28 (applicant: Vicki Beam) for one month at the applicant’s request to allow further plan work, the board’s county zoning manager, Mr. Peterson, told the panel. The consent agenda, amended to remove case B15, was approved before the board heard the pulled items.

Why it matters: The board’s decisions affect setback requirements, impervious-surface limits and use of gravel drive access in single-family neighborhoods. Several approvals were contingent on staff and agency comments, including CobbDOT and the county stormwater manager, which shape whether structures may remain as-built or must be altered.

In the most contested pulled case, variance B15 (applicant Heath Lawson), the board considered requests related to an 800-square-foot existing carport, a proposed 1,440-square-foot building and an existing 288-square-foot shed on a property on McCoy Road. Lawson told the board the carport was erected without a permit and asked to keep…