Board declines current subdivision/lot-size plan for Elam property; staff told to return with revised options

The board did not approve the Elam family’s current subdivision and lot-size variance request and directed staff and the applicant to return with revised options.

Jacob of True Line Land Surveying (Speaker 2) told the board the application sought variances for minimum lot size, setbacks and two dwellings on one lot after a proposed subdivision of a parcel that the presenter said totals "2.146" acres. Jacob said several existing structures (houses, garages and a burned barn with remaining foundation and concrete pad) predate the proposed subdivision. He said the applicant might prefer to make the property a single parcel and apply for a setback variance to rebuild the barn.

Board members questioned whether Lot 4 could meet the R-1 minimum square footage (21,780 sq ft) and noted existing encroachments on setbacks for Lots 1 and 2. Speaker 6 said there were "too many barriers" to approving the subdivision as submitted and moved to change a previous motion to deny; the chair called for a voice vote. The transcript records objections and a brief exchange but no detailed roll-call tally. The effect in the record is that the board declined the current plan and recommended tabling or denial while asking staff to return with revised lot lines or a simpler variance (for setbacks) to permit rebuilding of the burned structure.

The board also told the applicant that replacing the roof on the existing foundation would require a building permit. No final approval of the subdivision or the minimum-lot-size variances is recorded in the transcript.