Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Zoning Variances topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board of Adjustment grants six area variances at Feb. 26 hearing
Summary
At its Feb. 26 meeting, the New Castle County Board of Adjustment approved six area-variance requests for accessory structures, lot-width and lot-size reductions, setback relief for a pickleball court (granted with a landscaping condition), and site-plan-related building and paving setbacks.
The New Castle County Board of Adjustment met on Feb. 26, 2026, and voted on six area-variance applications related to residential lot dimensions, accessory structures, and setback relief.
Chair Terry Parker presided over the hearing and the Board approved every application before it, including one approval that carried a landscaping condition. The meeting was held via Zoom webinar with an in-person location at the Government Center, 87 Reads Way, New Castle.
App 2026-0034-A (Maria Alcaraz): Chair Terry Parker moved to grant an area variance to allow an 1,800-square-foot detached accessory structure on a 0.80-acre lot where the principal dwelling footprint is 962 square feet, citing UDC Section 40.03.410.A. Vice Chair Cora Castle opposed; the motion passed 3–1 (Parker, Keith Rolph and Edward Thomas voting yes; Cora Castle voting no).
App 2026-0037-A (Chesapeake Home Improvement Group): The Board granted an area variance to permit an addition 22 feet from the rear property line where a 25-foot rear-yard setback is required under UDC Table 40.04.110.B. Vice Chair Cora Castle moved to grant; Board member Keith Rolph seconded. Vote: 4–0 to grant.
App 2026-0020-A and App 2026-0021-A (D. Marty Mellinger): The Board granted multiple lot-width and lot-size variances in NC5 zoning that permit 40-foot lot widths and 4,000-square-foot lots in cases where the UDC requires 50-foot widths and 5,000-square-foot minimums. Motions to grant were approved unanimously, 4–0.
App 2025-0575-A (Vicmead Hunt Club): The Board granted, with condition, variances to allow a pickleball court 73 feet from the Owls Nest Road right-of-way where a 100-foot street yard setback applies under UDC Section 40.03.430.B and Table 40.04.110.B. Chair Terry Parker moved to grant with the condition that the applicant provide landscaping generally consistent with the renderings submitted into evidence; Vice Chair Cora Castle seconded. Vote: 4–0 to grant with condition.
App 2026-0018-A (James Curran): The Board granted variances to facilitate the recordation of a land development plan, including allowing an addition and existing storage and paving to remain closer to Collins Beach Road than the specified street-yard setbacks in UDC Table 40.04.110.B. Chair Terry Parker moved to grant; Board member Keith Rolph seconded. Vote: 4–0 to grant.
Attendance and staff: Chair Terry Parker and Vice Chair Cora Castle were present; Nakishia Bailey, Mohammed Cisse (absent for Items 2–5 and business meeting) and Chase Barnes were noted absent. Staff present included Helene Episcopo (Office of Law) and Melissa Hughes and Klesa Achaibar (Department of Land Use).
Next steps: The minutes were recorded by the Department of Land Use (entry dated 3/12/2026). No further public-comment exchanges or continuances are recorded in the transcript excerpt.
