Board of Adjustment continues 30 Stella Drive setback variance to Oct. 16; appoints new chair

San Miguel County’s Board of Adjustment on Sept. 18 agreed to continue a variance hearing for 30 Stella Drive and set the next meeting for Oct. 16 to allow the applicant and staff to provide additional site plans and to verify whether adjacent Bureau of Land Management (BLM) parcels are listed for disposal.

The variance application, filed by property owners Clay and Mary Orendas and represented at the meeting by their son, Henry, asks the board to reduce the property’s rear-yard setback on the west side from 20 feet to 5 feet to allow construction of a detached garage and a screened porch on a 13.6-acre parcel zoned Forestry, Agricultural and Open, southwest of Placerville above the river.

The county staff member presenting the case said the requested setback reduction applies only to the proposed detached garage and screened porch and noted conditions that would apply if the variance were approved: the applicants would be required to obtain a county development permit; staging of construction would not be allowed on or adjacent to Geyser Drive; approval would be valid for three years; and written representations from the applicant are conditions of approval. "This approval is valid for 3 years," the staff member said.

Neighbors raised access and long-term easement concerns. A pair of neighbors, Sam and Samantha Samuelson, had asked that no construction staging occur on Geyser Drive; the applicant committed not to stage equipment there. An unidentified resident questioned reducing the buffer next to BLM land and urged limiting the screened porch to 15 feet rather than the full 20-foot encroachment, saying, "I just don't think we should be cutting down this 20 foot easement along BLM property." The board discussed whether multiple setbacks could be applied along the same rear property line (for example, a 10-foot setback near the house and a 5-foot setback at the garage) and whether equipment access to utilities and the well pump could be preserved.

County staff noted the public notice process: notices were published in the Telluride Daily Planet and the Norwood Post on Aug. 29 and mailed to property owners within 500 feet; the BLM was also notified. The county building official, Matt Gonzales, emailed that any structure or portion of a structure 5 feet or less from a property line must be constructed in accordance with section R302.1 of the building code.

After discussion, a board member moved to continue the hearing to allow staff to confirm whether the adjacent BLM parcel appears on any federal land disposal lists and to give the applicants time to provide a more detailed plan showing proposed dimensions. The board voted to continue the hearing to Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. The recorded outcome was: motion to continue — passed, yes: 3, no: 0, abstain: 0.

Separately, the board conducted internal officer business. Board members nominated Gordon to serve as chair; the motion to nominate Gordon passed (yes: 3, no: 0, abstain: 0). Board members also voted to keep Sunny as vice chair (yes: 3, no: 0, abstain: 0).