Coweta County BZA recommends front-setback variance for garage at 9 West Shore Trace

The Coweta County Board of Zoning Appeals on May 21 recommended approval of Variance Petition 26-10, which would reduce the required front building setback from 50 feet to 40 feet at 9 West Shore Trace in the Lake Redwine Plantation subdivision. The recommendation will be forwarded to the Coweta County Board of Commissioners for final action on June 16, 2026.

Zoning coordinator Nicole Blackwell told the board the applicants, Andrew and Elizabeth Strassley (represented by Mark Murphy), propose a 22-foot by 22-foot detached garage for the storage of yard equipment, tools and workshop use. Staff said the garage would meet side-yard and separation requirements but would encroach 10 feet into the 50-foot front setback along West Shore Trace, and therefore requested the variance under Article 23 of the Coweta County Zoning and Development Ordinance.

Blackwell said staff visited the property (approximately 0.812 acres) and provided photos and an aerial. Staff highlighted that while detached garages are common in residential neighborhoods, placing the structure closer to the street could alter the established streetscape and have a visual impact on adjacent properties. Blackwell recommended two conditions if the board recommended approval: that the detached garage be located a minimum of 40 feet from the right of way of West Shore Trace as shown on the submitted site plan, and that the applicant obtain approval from the applicable homeowners association before issuance of a building permit.

Mark Murphy, representing the applicants, said they submitted paperwork to the HOA about three weeks before the meeting and were awaiting a response. He described the proposed location as tucked behind an existing tree and a small open area so the garage would be partially hidden from direct street view. "It's only coming 10 feet towards the road," Murphy said, and described the layout as minimizing additional paving and grading compared with moving the structure farther back.

Board members questioned whether the garage could be pushed farther back to avoid a variance; Murphy said that would require more driveway paving and the homeowner preferred the proposed orientation to reduce paving and preserve the existing site layout. A board member noted staff's condition already requires HOA approval and the board agreed to rely on that review.

A motion to recommend approval with the two staff-recommended conditions was made and seconded; the chair called the vote and members voiced approval. The board's recommendation is advisory; the Board of Commissioners will consider the variance on June 16, 2026.

Notes: The property and surrounding parcels were described in staff materials as zoned "RC Bridal Conservation" (as stated in the presentation). The applicant must obtain HOA approval prior to issuance of any building permit, per staff-recommended condition.