Board approves pool setback variance at 3214 Ocean Drive, conditions it to stay five feet from house

The Jacksonville Beach Board of Adjustments approved a variance to allow a new swimming pool at 3214 Ocean Drive, granting reductions to westerly and northerly accessory‑structure setbacks while adding a condition that the pool maintain a five‑foot minimum distance from the primary structure.

The decision resolves a request from the property owner’s contractor, Paul Curtis of Epic Pools, who told the board the lot is a corner parcel complicated by the coastal construction line and earlier development that pushed the house toward the west and north property lines. "We're just looking to gain an extra foot on the width and the length," Curtis said, adding the proposal includes an 18‑foot equipment pad and that overall lot coverage would remain under the approved maximum.

Why it mattered: board members noted a prior 2021 variance for the lot allowed a 1.5‑foot pool setback from the primary structure under the previous land development code, and they sought to prevent a configuration in which a larger pool could extend too close to the house. To address that concern the board amended the approval to condition the variance on the pool meeting a five‑foot minimum from the primary structure.

The board’s discussion focused on ensuring the new pool fit the oddly platted lot without increasing encroachment risks for adjacent properties. No members of the public spoke on the item during the hearing.

The board voted by roll call to adopt the amendment and then to approve the variance as amended. The board’s action cited the standards in section 34‑572 of the Jacksonville Beach Land Development Code and relied on staff findings presented in the record.

What’s next: the variance was approved as amended; any future changes that would increase required setbacks or alter the approved site elements could require a new variance or additional approvals from city staff.