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Titusville board grants variance to waive masonry screen wall at Cheney Highway site
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Summary
The Board of Adjustments and Appeals unanimously approved variance 9-2026 to eliminate a required 6-foot masonry screening wall at Lot 4 (2035 Cheney Highway), accepting staff and applicant arguments that preserved wetlands and tree canopy provide comparable buffering to adjacent residential lots.
The Titusville Board of Adjustments and Appeals unanimously approved a variance on April 29, 2026, to eliminate a six-foot masonry screening wall at a proposed commercial lot at 2035 Cheney Highway.
Planning staff introduced variance 9-2026, explaining the lot is part of a minor division and adjacent to preserved wetlands and a tree canopy on a separate lot (Lot 5) that functions as a natural buffer. Staff recommended approval of the requested waiver from chapter 28, section 28-108(c)(4)(h) of the land development regulations, which would otherwise require a masonry screen wall where a site abuts residential zoning or use.
Applicant counsel Cliff Reppenger told the board that Lot 5 will be left in its natural state, including wetlands and tree canopy, and that constructing a masonry wall would require disturbing that preserved area. Reppenger said the natural buffer “achieves a comparable level of buffering between those uses” and urged the board to grant the variance to avoid impacting the preserved canopy.
Board members asked staff about the permanence of the preserved area and whether future site-plan amendments could change the buffering; staff said Lot 5 is intended to remain undeveloped as part of the master site plan and that any change would require an amendment with additional review.
A motion to approve variance 9-2026 was made and seconded; roll call recorded unanimous affirmative votes from the members present. The board granted the variance, allowing the development to rely on the preserved wetlands and tree canopy for buffering instead of building a masonry screening wall.
Staff noted the site plan and photographs included in the agenda packet and told the board that the master site plan limits disturbance to the preserved tree canopy area. The board then moved to other business and adjourned the meeting.
