Lakeland City zoning board approves three small‑lot setback variances, denies fence variances at Texas Avenue

LAKELAND CITY, Fla. — The Lakeland City Zoning Board of Adjustments and Appeals on March 4 approved three variances allowing single‑family houses to be built on undersized, pre‑code lots at 708 Thomas Street West, 1610 Lincoln Avenue North and 837 West Crawford Street, and denied four variance requests for fencing and visibility exceptions at 714 Texas Avenue.

The decisions reflect the board’s balance between permitting infill housing on narrow, historically platted lots and enforcing visibility and setback rules intended to protect motorists, bicyclists and waste‑collection access. The Texas Avenue case drew extended public comment from the property owner, who said crime and repeated vandalism motivated installation of taller fencing and screening.

The board unanimously approved the setback variances for 708 Thomas Street West (a 5‑foot reduction to allow a 10‑foot rear setback), 1610 Lincoln Avenue North (a 5‑foot reduction to allow a 10‑foot rear setback) and 837 West Crawford Street (a 10‑foot variance to allow a 5‑foot street‑side setback). City staff told the board the lots were platted decades ago and are narrower and shallower than today’s minimums, and that a 20‑foot driveway requirement reduces the buildable depth on each lot. Todd Vargo, Community Economic Development, summarized the lot constraints, saying the hardship was tied to “the unusually small lot” and noting no objections had been…