Dawson County planning commission denies request to reclassify pool house as separate dwelling

The Dawson County Planning Commission on Tuesday denied a request from Kareem Hawthorne to reclassify an existing pool house as a separate residential dwelling on a combined parcel in the RPC zoning district.

The commission voted to approve a motion to deny the variance by a 2–1 vote with one abstention. The motion before the commission effectively denied Hawthorne’s request for a corrective variance (VA 25-15) to recognize the pool house as a dwelling on the single parcel now taxed as one property.

Why it matters: The pool house has been built and occupied in recent years, and the applicant says the structure was permitted and inspected during construction. County staff told the commission the structure has not passed final mechanical, electrical and plumbing inspections and does not have a certificate of occupancy; a magistrate court citation on the property remains set for Nov. 5.

Applicant Kareem Hawthorne told the commission he and his family submitted plans in…