Florence BZA approves variance for Flowers to build detached garage at 1858 Devonshire Drive

The Florence City Board of Zoning Appeals approved variances allowing Truman and Heather Flowers to build a 22-by-30-foot detached garage at 1858 Devonshire Drive, reducing the required side setback from 10 feet to 5 feet and increasing the parcel's impervious surface to about 47 percent (7 percentage points above the 40 percent limit in the Unified Development Ordinance). The board took the action at a regularly scheduled BZA hearing (BZA hearing number 2025-1); the meeting date was not specified in the transcript.

City planning staff presented the application and site plan to the board. Derek Postman, city planning staff, said the proposed garage would be 22 feet by 30 feet, 9 feet tall with an 8-foot door, and that adding the garage plus a driveway extension and parking pad would raise the property's impervious-surface ratio to roughly 47 percent. Postman said staff had mailed notice, posted a sign at the property about 15 days before the hearing, and that no formal objections had been received by phone or office record. He also said an email of support was received from the owner of 1854 Devonshire Drive and that the owner of 1862 Devonshire Drive gave verbal consent.

"We did put out signage to to let the neighbors know, and we did send out letters," Postman said, adding that the sign was posted about 15 days before the hearing.

Truman Flowers, the applicant and homeowner, described site constraints that limited placement of an accessory building: an existing circular driveway, the house footprint and an above-ground pool. Flowers said he had spoken with nearby property owners and that one neighbor, Mark Hyman, planned to pursue a similar permit for his lot. Flowers said the garage and building colors were chosen to match the house and described the planned roof and exterior finish.

Board members asked about precedent in the neighborhood and whether older accessory buildings had been established before the current Unified Development Ordinance took effect. Planning staff said many nearby buildings predated the 2018 UDO and that aerial photos show other properties in the area with accessory buildings and impervious-surface ratios that appear similar to the Flowers' proposal.

Mister Preston moved to grant the variance, reciting the board's required findings of fact, and Miss Singley seconded the motion. The board voted by voice; the chair called for the ayes and said the ayes had it. The motion carried and the variance request was approved.

The variance allows the Flowers to seek building permits consistent with the approved setback and impervious-surface exceptions; the transcript does not specify permit issuance, timing, or any additional conditions that must be met before construction begins.

There were no other members of the public who spoke for or against the request during the hearing, and staff reported no outstanding code-enforcement action tied to the proposal.

The Board closed the item and had no further business on the agenda before adjourning.