Gastonia Board of Adjustment unanimously approves variance to subdivide 1818 Wingate Street into six lots

The Gastonia Board of Adjustment voted unanimously to grant a variance that will allow two undersized lots as part of a proposed subdivision of 1818 Wingate Street, a 1.15‑acre parcel with six existing single‑family dwellings.

Zoning Administrator Jason Putnam told the board the property is zoned RS‑8, which requires 8,000 square‑foot minimum lots. The applicant proposes to divide the parcel into six individual lots; Putnam said Lots 1–4 meet the minimum but Lots 5 and 6 fall short — Lot 5 by roughly 600–700 square feet and Lot 6 by about 1,500 square feet. "The applicant is requesting a variance to reduce the minimum lot size requirement for 2 of these proposed lots," Putnam said, adding that approving the request would correct a long‑standing nonconforming situation by placing each dwelling on its own lot while leaving some remaining nonconformities (notably a rear setback on Lot 6).

Applicant Tristan Armstead, who said he and a business partner acquired the properties last December, told the board he does not plan to change use or add structures and that his goal is "to create more conforming lots, and have more structured lines for ... maintenance responsibilities." Armstead said recent maintenance has begun and that subdividing could make it easier to sell individual units to homeowners in the future.

Neighbor Lisa Moore, who lives across the street and said she has owned her house for more than 20 years, urged caution. "The condition is horrible," she said of the rental properties, and she questioned whether creating two small nonconforming lots "solves the problem" or instead creates new issues for the neighborhood. Staff cautioned the board that comparisons to other nearby lots are not a permissible basis for a variance decision under the local ordinance.

Before voting, a staff attorney read the four statutory findings the board must make in a quasi‑judicial variance: that strict application of the ordinance would cause unnecessary hardship; the hardship arises from conditions peculiar to the property; the hardship was not caused by the applicant; and the variance is consistent with the spirit and intent of the ordinance so that public safety is secured and justice is achieved. A board member moved to approve the variance, the motion was seconded, and the board voted unanimously in favor.

Chair Lee Taylor said he viewed the subdivision as an overall improvement over the existing large nonconforming parcel and expressed hope it will lead to better maintenance. He also read appeal information into the record, noting that "any aggrieved party shall have the right to appeal the board's decision by filing a petition for review with the Gaston County Clerk of Superior Court within 30 days" of written notice.

The board also adopted prior meeting minutes earlier in the session and heard staff announcements that there were no applications currently scheduled for next month. The meeting adjourned after the approvals.