Board of Appeals denies request to restore third dwelling unit, impervious surface on St. Mary's County waterfront lot

John Heldorfer, a Piney Point resident, asked the St. Mary’s County Board of Appeals on Sept. 27 to allow him to replace a mobile home and reestablish a previously existing third dwelling unit on his 1.5‑acre waterfront property in the Rural Preservation District (RPD). The board denied two variance requests — one to exceed the RPD density limit and one to restore grandfathered impervious surface — finding the applications did not meet standards in the county zoning ordinance and critical‑area rules.

Heldorfer told the board his property was flooded by Hurricane Isabel and subsequent storms, and that he has been repairing damage and trying to replace the removed unit since. He said FEMA estimated about $50,000 in damage and that insurance covered less than half. “All I want is to replace something that was taken away from me through no fault of my own,” Heldorfer said. He also said contractors could not bring replacement trailers onto the lot while ground conditions remained too wet or soft.

Staff from the Department of Land Use and Growth Management told…