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Board grants 60‑foot setback variance at 1605 Macau's Road for single‑family build site
Summary
The board approved a 60‑foot variance reducing the 150‑ft agricultural/perimeter building setback to 90 ft on a 15.107‑acre rural residential parcel at 1605 Macau's Road so the owner can site a single‑family house closer to the original home site; the 50‑ft landscape buffer will remain and the decision cited lot topography as justification.
The Board of Adjustments voted April 6 to grant a 60‑foot building‑setback variance for a 15.107‑acre parcel at 1605 Macau's Road, allowing a proposed single‑family house to be sited 90 feet from the adjacent agricultural property line instead of the 150‑foot setback otherwise required under rural cluster rules.
Staff explained the parcel was originally laid out as a two‑lot rural cluster and that the current owner purchased both lots and wishes to build a single dwelling higher on the hill where the earlier house had sat. "He's asking for a building setback variance of 60 ft from the 150 ft requirement," Steve said, describing the plat and the residual farmland that will remain as open space.
Applicant Jeremy Hendricks, who joined the meeting by Zoom, said topography and the location of neighboring homes motivated the request. "We're trying to avoid getting too close to the home on the right...we're trying to be as high up on the hill as we can," Hendricks said, and added that although the expected placement of the house would be about 130 feet from the property line, the variance to 90 feet provides flexibility for accessory structures such as a garage or future pool.
Staff and the board clarified that the 50‑foot landscape buffer intended to reduce transfer of farm chemicals and provide a visual separation would remain in place; the variance only affects the 150‑foot building setback standard. The staff report notes the variance would still comply with older A‑1 standards and outlined the legal findings the board must make.
A motion to approve the variance was seconded and adopted by voice vote with no opposition. The approval includes the staff and applicant's agreed findings that topography supports placement of the home and that the reduced setback does not create an unreasonable circumvention of the zoning regulations.
The applicant may proceed with building‑permit submittals consistent with the adjusted setback; staff will monitor that required landscape buffering remains intact.
