Commission forwards second special exception for a two‑story house on narrow Fourth Street lot to BZA

At its March meeting, the Newport News Planning Commission recommended approval of a special exception to permit a two‑story single‑family dwelling on a narrow, nonconforming lot on Fourth Street, forwarding the case to the Board of Zoning Appeals with staff conditions.

City planner Zakar presented the application by NCR Homes and Construction LLC for the property described in staff materials as containing approximately 0.091 acres on Fourth Street. Staff said the proposal meets the zoning ordinance criteria for a nonconforming lot exception because the proposed dwelling is two stories, has a covered front porch, meets the minimum front- and side-setback calculations and proposes an attached one-car garage recessed to meet the ordinance’s depth requirement. "The proposed request to construct a 2 story single family dwelling on a non conforming 37.5 foot wide lot meets all applicable criteria stipulated in the zoning ordinance," Zakar stated.

Staff recommended ten conditions, including submission of building elevations with exterior materials and colors to the Department of Planning for review and approval by the Director of Planning before a building permit is issued, and a brick veneer for the first-floor front façade and front steps. One commissioner noted the submitted floor plans and elevations did not line up exactly; the applicant’s representative, James Riddick, said he would follow the floor plan as presented and address technical alignment in the final submittal.

The commission closed the public hearing after Mr. Riddick said he had no further comments, and voted 7-0 to recommend approval. Staff said the Board of Zoning Appeals will hear the item in March 2025 for final action.