Kent County Board approves 25% expansion of nonconforming use for duplex at Cypress Branch Road property

The Kent County Board of Adjustment on Sept. 18 approved application A-25-27, allowing an approximately 1,300-square-foot duplex to be added to a property on the north side of Cypress Branch Road. The board approved a 25% expansion of a legal nonconforming use to permit the additional duplex, voting 6-0 in favor.

Applicant Jamie Maston, who said he purchased the property in February 2015, told the board he has rebuilt older duplexes on the site and in 2019 connected the property to central sewer. "I went ahead and put the property on central sewer," Maston said, describing the upgrade as costly but necessary for environmental and liability reasons. Maston said the project would replace two single-family houses in front and add one duplex behind them; he told the board the total density would be about six units per acre when complete.

Maston described current parking as roughly 24 spaces and said adding the duplex likely would increase daily vehicle trips by two or three cars. He said the new building would be set behind existing front houses and would use the existing entrance; the applicant said he expects to reconfigure the interior drive and parking as part of the redevelopment.

Staff recommended approval; no members of the public testified in opposition. Board members who spoke in favor cited consistency with existing density, improvements to the property, and lack of negative impact to neighboring properties. The board recorded individual votes in support (Mister Jenkins, Mister Carter, Mister Gallo, Miss Denny, Miss Hudson, Mister Cusick) and approved the application based on staff findings and public testimony.

The board's decision will be documented in a written notice to the applicant and applicants may proceed with required permit applications after the decision is finalized.