Board approves lot‑size variance at 689 Garner Road to help homeowner recover after house fire

The board approved a variance to the county’s new five‑acre minimum for a parcel at 689 Garner Road, allowing the owner to retain about 2–3 acres and sell the balance to a neighboring farmer.

Michael Moore of Moreland Surveys told the board the owner, identified in the record as Mr. Garner, lost his home several years ago and now lives in a camper on the property. Moore said the owner wants to sell acreage to help pay to build or repair a permanent residence and would like to keep roughly 2–3 acres for the house and yard. Moore said the total parcel on that side of the road was “about 20” acres and noted wetlands and floodplain considerations on the site but said the house location would remain outside the floodplain.

"He would like to be able to take the proceeds from selling some of his property to be able to do something more permanent there," Moore said during the presentation.

Board members asked questions about exact acreage, road frontage and whether septic and house placement would be feasible; Moore said the house site and other buildings were outside the mapped floodplain and that the retained parcel would likely use existing fence lines and offer roughly 180–200 feet of road frontage. After brief discussion a motion to approve the variance was made, seconded and passed by voice vote; the board recorded the vote as 5 to 0 in favor.

The approval allows the owner to pursue the sale (a nearby farmer, identified in the hearing as Mark Myers, expressed interest) and to retain the smaller, occupied yard lot. The board noted that building permits and technical setbacks remain subject to county codes and permitting requirements.

The board moved on to other agenda items after the vote.