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BZA approves reduced front‑yard setback at 3000 Shaw Walter Road for Metis Smith Properties
Summary
The Richmond Board of Zoning Appeals voted 3–0 to grant a front‑yard setback variance reducing the requirement from 75 feet to 25 feet for a proposed single‑family home at 3000 Shaw Walter Road, with staff citing topographic difficulty and consistency with nearby house placement; no public opposition was recorded.
The Richmond Board of Zoning Appeals approved a variance on May 13 to reduce the minimum front‑yard setback from 75 feet to 25 feet for a single‑family residence proposed by Metis Smith Properties LLC at 3000 Shaw Walter Road.
Barry Smith, the property owner and agent, said the reduced setback would make the new house more visually consistent with neighboring homes and would allow the garage to sit on firmer, higher ground given a rear lot grade change. "This would put the house more in keeping with most of the other houses along that road," Smith said, adding that topography makes building at the required setback impractical.
Planning staff reported the lot is about 1.36 acres, surrounding parcels are agricultural and single‑family residential, five adjacent properties were notified and staff received no written objections. Staff recommended approval, saying the reduced setback is consistent with the character of neighboring properties and necessary because of practical building difficulties on the site.
A motion to approve BCA 11‑2026 was moved and seconded and passed on a roll call that recorded Nathan Sheets, Sherry Oler Hemingway and Josh Imhof voting in favor. There were no public commenters in opposition at the hearing. The board closed the case and moved on to other business.
