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Board grants steep‑slope and setback variances with stormwater and erosion‑control conditions for El Paso Circle lot
Summary
The Board of Appeals approved variances to build a small Cape Cod‑style house at 1116 El Paso Circle with conditions requiring stormwater measures, a stone outlet/earth dike or approved equal, mitigation plantings and bonding to reduce runoff risk to downstream neighbors.
The Board of Appeals granted a critical‑area variance and a general variance on Jan. 20 to allow construction of a Cape Cod style dwelling at 1116 El Paso Circle in Chesapeake Ranch Estates, subject to conditions addressing stormwater and erosion control.
Applicant Jeff Toole testified he revised the plan after earlier hearings to add reinforced measures—stone outlet pads, an earth berm (dike) and micro‑bio planter boxes—to direct runoff to a protected green‑space lot and reduce flow toward a downstream house that had raised concerns. Toole cited earlier Board of Appeals precedents requiring permanent berms in similar uphill‑to‑downhill scenarios.
County environmental staff and the applicant agreed mitigation and bonding would be required: mitigation plantings will be computed under state and local formulas and bonded for an establishment period; fees‑in‑lieu are an option where on‑site mitigation is constrained. Public Works and the county health department reviewed perk‑test and septic locations; applicant said the proposed house and septic location are positioned to minimize additional clearing.
Board members added a condition making the applicant’s stormwater management and sediment‑control design (or an approved equal/best available technology at time of construction) a required element of the order and required final permitting, inspections and bonding before permits could be issued. The board voted unanimously to grant the variances with those conditions.
