Clay County Board of Adjustment approves variances for two accessory garages at 328 Hollywood Forest Drive

The Clay County Board of Adjustment on Feb. 27 approved two variances allowing construction of a roughly 750-square-foot boat garage and a roughly 416-square-foot vehicular garage at 328 Hollywood Forest Drive in Fleming Island.

Jenny Bridal, zoning chief for Clay County, told the board that the property is in the RA zoning district and that the minimum front setback in that district is 40 feet. Bridal said the existing house sits about 211 feet from the front property line, and that a floodway runs east–west along the rear of the parcel and the septic drain field and well are located at the back of the lot. "Staff does recommend approval of placing these 2 accessory structures in the front or side yard," Bridal said, explaining that the site’s configuration and floodway limit building in the rear.

The applicants, Andrew and Caroline McCooey, asked the board to allow the boat garage to be located in the front/side yard to access the existing driveway and to place the vehicular garage adjacent to the west side of the home. Andrew McCooey said, "Yes. We'd like to build 2, garages. 1 for housing our family boat and 1 for our cars." He showed the board photographs of a sample garage and described a plan to keep the garages aligned on one side of the house so the home remains visible from the street.

Board members asked about surveys and visibility from the road; one member noted neighboring houses sit at roughly the 40-foot front setback while the McCooey house is set much farther back. The board heard no public opposition during the open comment periods.

The board handled the two requests as separate actions. For the first case — the boat garage — a board member moved to approve and, after a second, the motion passed 4-0. For the second case — the vehicular garage — a different motion and second likewise passed 4-0.

Votes at a glance

- BOA2050001: Variance to allow a boat garage (~750 sq. ft.) in the front/side yard at 328 Hollywood Forest Drive (RA). Outcome: approved, vote 4-0. Staff recommendation: approve. Key facts: parcel ~1.8 acres; house built in 1972; staff cited floodway and septic/well placement limiting rear-yard construction.

- BOA2050002: Variance to allow a vehicular garage (~416 sq. ft.) in the west side yard adjacent to the existing house at 328 Hollywood Forest Drive (RA). Outcome: approved, vote 4-0. Staff recommendation: approve. Key facts: applicants intend garages to be aligned on one side to preserve view of the house.

The approvals allow the McCooeys to proceed with design and (as Bridal noted) will require the usual building permits and inspections before construction begins. The board did not place additional conditions on the variances during the meeting.