The Glynn County Board of Appeals voted to approve a variance for a front-porch modification at 110 Demery Oaks Circle on a motion requiring that existing porch posts remain in place, footers be added, and the gable not be extended toward the road.

Niecy Carroll, staff, described the request as a variance to Glynn County Zoning Ordinance Section 701 to reduce left-side and front-yard setbacks for an existing nonconforming structure in the R-6 one-family residential district. Carroll said the house was built in 1977, that staff had approved interior remodeling only, and that any exterior work is contingent on Board authorization. "Staff does recommend approval of ZV25," Carroll said.

Brian Vaughn, speaking for the homeowners, told the board the work would raise the porch ridge, widen the front porch slightly and require footers in the flower bed to install two posts. "We just need a little bit of room on each side of the porch…to put a footer to hold…to put two posts to hold it all up," Vaughn said, adding the finished result would be similar to the rendering but might differ in finish details.

Board members and neighbors pressed for clarity after they identified a discrepancy between the applicant’s oral description and the submitted drawings. The plans in the packet list an overall porch width at roughly 19 feet 9 3/4 inches and a proposed depth of about 4 feet; the applicant said his intent was closer to the existing footprint plus about 18 inches on each side. The board emphasized that the drawing and the applicant’s description differed and said accuracy in plans mattered before a vote.

Several board members suggested design alternatives to avoid moving columns and increasing visual intrusion into the setback, including using a cantilevered beam so columns could remain in their current positions while providing the needed roof pitch. Vaughn said the homeowners were willing to "tweak" the design to avoid moving the columns.

After discussion the board approved the variance with stated conditions: do not move existing posts, add required footers, and ensure the existing gable does not extend toward the road. Speaker 3 moved for approval; Speaker 4 seconded. The board adopted the motion by voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded.

The decision allows the homeowners to proceed with exterior work only under the conditions the board specified. Staff will continue to follow up on plan details and permit requirements before any external construction begins.