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Board denies Temple Hills homeowner’s bid to legalize unauthorized driveway extension
Summary
The Board of Appeals denied a variance requested by Blanca Sonia Arevalo to validate an unauthorized driveway extension and parking pad at 5715 Collin Terrace, citing unauthorized construction and likely impacts on neighbors; vote 3–0.
The Prince George's County Board of Appeals on May 6 denied a variance request from Blanca Sonia Arevalo for an unauthorized driveway extension and parking pad at 5715 Collin Terrace in Temple Hills.
Neighbors testified in strong opposition, raising safety, parking congestion and multiple alleged unauthorized modifications to the property. "This property has already undergone multiple unauthorized modifications," a neighbor testified, citing additions, converted garages and separate entrances.
Prince George's County Inspector Swan told the board his investigation found extensive unauthorized renovations and that the driveway expansion could create runoff that would impact neighboring properties. "Based on my inspection and investigation, there's been extensive renovations done both in the interior and exterior of the house," he said.
Chair Boulware said two variance criteria were not met: the proposed change would impair adjacent property use and the practical difficulty appeared to be self-inflicted because of unpermitted construction. Member Stanton moved to deny the appeal; Vice Chair Johnson seconded and the board recorded a unanimous 3–0 vote to deny.
The petitioner said she sought permits now to correct the work and had been dealing with health and family issues during the period when the work was done; the board nonetheless found the record insufficient to grant a variance.
