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Fort Pierce Board of Adjustment approves carport variance for 1601 Francis Avenue
Summary
The Fort Pierce Board of Adjustment approved a variance to allow a 486-square-foot open carport at 1601 Francis Avenue, voting to grant relief from the city's 30% lot‑coverage limit after hearing staff reports and applicant testimony.
The Fort Pierce Board of Adjustment approved a variance to allow a 486‑square‑foot open carport at 1601 Francis Avenue after a roll‑call vote during a public hearing.
City planning staff told the board the property is roughly 0.24 acres in R‑2 (single‑family intermediate) zoning and that the city's lot‑coverage rule limits buildings to 30% of the lot (about 3,000 square feet on a 10,000‑square‑foot parcel). The proposed carport would raise the building coverage from 3,000 to 3,486 square feet; staff said two of the five variance criteria had been met but recommended against approval because not all criteria were satisfied.
Applicant Steven Halseth, who identified himself as the owner and resident at 1601 Francis Avenue, told the board he built the house about 10 years ago and wants a covered area to protect a recreational vehicle and other vehicles from sun damage. "It would definitely be advantageous to have some covered carport area due to the intensity of the sun," Halseth said. He described the proposed addition as an open carport with no walls and said existing driveway surfaces mean the project would not add new impervious area.
Board members questioned whether gutters or downspouts should be required to prevent runoff onto neighboring property. One board member said gutters "would be required" in their opinion to keep water on the applicant's lot; Halseth said his in‑laws own the adjacent lot and plan to improve drainage there. Chris Anderson, assistant planning director, told the board it could impose conditions on a variance if those conditions are consistent with the spirit of the code.
After deliberation — including discussion about whether the literal reading of lot‑coverage rules was intended to count a carport as covered structure — a motion to approve the variance without conditions carried in a roll‑call vote. Voting in favor were Miss Mitchell, Miss Mendez, Mr. Drummond and Chair Galinis; Mr. Chris cast the lone recorded no vote. The board announced the motion passed and moved on to the next agenda item.
The board did not attach conditions requiring gutters; members discussed recommending gutters but concluded such a requirement was not part of the carport variance application as presented.
