Board approves variances for undersized lot at 620 Lower Eighth Avenue South

The Jacksonville Beach Board of Adjustments approved a set of variances for 620 Lower Eighth Avenue South that will allow a new two-story single-family dwelling to be built on an undersized lot.

Applicant Trevor Moody told the board he purchased a subdivided parcel with a derelict two-car garage that had been demolished. Moody said the lot is about 5,000 square feet, smaller than the typical RS-2 minimum lot size, and that tight dimensions made it difficult to meet standard setbacks and lot-coverage limits while providing a two-car garage.

Moody said the project team considered permeable pavers to reduce lot coverage but found the bids substantially more expensive than standard concrete. "The bid came in about four times more expensive than doing concrete out to the roadway," Moody said, explaining the request for variances on setbacks and coverage.

The variances requested, as read by staff, included a rear-yard setback of 28.9 feet in lieu of 30 feet, a rear covered-lanai setback of 19.6 feet in lieu of 20 feet, and a primary-structure coverage of 40.4% in lieu of the 35% maximum. No public speakers submitted testimony for the item.

Board members noted the parcel's undersized status (5,000 square feet) and described the requested reductions as minimal, roughly about one foot in the setback dimensions, and judged the coverage request in context of the smaller lot. A motion to approve BOA25-100081 referenced the staff report and testimony and cited the variance standards in section 34-572 of the Jacksonville Beach Land Development Code. The roll-call vote recorded affirmative votes and the board approved the variances.

The applicant and the board emphasized that the building department will conduct standard permit and inspection reviews during construction to ensure compliance with drainage and other code requirements.