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Howard County hearing examiner inclined to grant variance for homeowner’s retaining wall

2852985 · April 2, 2025
AI-Generated Content: All content on this page was generated by AI to highlight key points from the meeting. For complete details and context, we recommend watching the full video. so we can fix them.

Summary

A Howard County zoning hearing examiner said she is inclined to grant a variance that would allow a segmented block retaining wall to remain at or near the property line, replacing a failed timber wall; a written decision will follow and the record was closed.

Howard County Zoning Hearing Examiner Catherine Taylor said she is inclined to grant a variance requested by petitioner Arthur Sorak that would allow a segmented block retaining wall to be sited at or near the property line and within the usual 10-foot setback.

Taylor said at the hearing that, based on the petition, revised plans and testimony, the property’s steep slope and the house placement created physical constraints that make the wall’s current location the minimum deviation necessary from the setback. “So based upon what I’ve seen in the petition, what I’ve heard here, I’m inclined to grant the, the, request,” Taylor said, adding…

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