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Board OKs setback variances so owner can raise St. Armands house 5 feet
Summary
The Board of Adjustment approved a pair of setback variances (5‑0) allowing a homeowner at 444 North Washington Drive to raise a single‑family house about 5 feet to reduce future flood risk and avoid demolition. The applicant said the design preserves neighborhood scale while meeting FEMA guidance.
The Sarasota City Board of Adjustment approved two variances Thursday that will allow a homeowner at 444 North Washington Drive on St. Armands to raise an existing single‑family residence roughly 5 feet to reduce flood risk.
Architect Leonardo Lunardi, who identified himself at the hearing, and owner Lisa Hartman told the board the house — built in the 1950s and recently renovated inside — suffered flood damage during prior storms and that lifting the home is preferable to demolition. Lunardi said the plan is to keep the house’s single‑story scale while raising it "approximately 5 feet" to achieve a FEMA‑recommended elevation and improve long‑term resilience.
Staff read the petition (26‑VAR‑05) as seeking a north side yard setback reduction from 8 feet to 6.33 feet (a 1.67‑foot variance) and a south side yard setback reduction from 12 feet to 6.9 feet (a 5.1‑foot variance). Lunardi told the board the property is approximately 10,375 square feet and that the proposed work will meet height limits and daylight‑plane and impervious‑coverage standards except for the requested side‑setback variances.
Board members asked questions about stairs, garage access and whether changes to the roofline were anticipated. Lunardi said the garage will remain at grade and front stairs will provide access to the raised house; he said the project team intends to avoid changing the roof line where possible to limit cost and interior disruption. The applicant reported reaching out to adjacent neighbors; one affected person named in the application, John Funiciello of 460 North Washington Drive, was not present at the hearing.
A board member moved to approve the petition including the proposed resolution and findings, a second was recorded, and the motion passed by roll call 5‑0.
Owner Lisa Hartman told the board she prefers to preserve the existing home rather than demolish it. The approval allows the applicant to proceed with required permitting and design work to implement the elevation and related site work.
