Carroll County BZA approves 16-bed expansion and driveway variance for Bethenia Homecare on Bell Road

The Carroll County Board of Zoning Appeals on an oral vote approved a conditional-use request to add a 16-bed building to Bethenia Homecare on Bell Road and granted a variance to allow a 15-foot-wide access drive instead of the county's 18-foot standard.

The decision followed testimony from applicants, their engineer and multiple board members at a hearing in which owners and operators described the proposal, emergency-access considerations and site constraints. Melson Munecis, co-owner of Bethenia Homecare, told the board his goal was to create “a home care for the aged population” and to maintain a residential, farm-like setting for residents.

The project would add a separate structure with 16 private bedrooms and private bathrooms, bringing the site total to 32 beds when combined with the existing 16-bed facility, testimony showed. The applicant said the new building would mirror the residential appearance of the current dwelling, keep most farming activity on the balance of the property and use the same driveway and access from Bell Road.

Why this matters: Board members and the applicants centered most questions on health-department approvals, wastewater capacity, maneuvering for emergency vehicles and whether the narrower driveway would create safety problems or traffic impacts. The board concluded the proposal met local zoning standards and presented no greater adverse impacts than other assisted-living uses in the county.

Applicants and testimony Melson…