Council approves variance to square off rear addition at 7209 Delfield Street

The village council voted to approve a variance for 7209 Delfield Street on procedural grounds after the applicants and their architect explained the project would square off an existing 1980s addition and minimally change neighboring sightlines.

Adam McGraw, a principal at Studio MB Architects, said the owners, Rob and Karen Lager, plan to extend and 'square off' a plywood addition from the 1980s to gain roughly 96 square feet of footprint across two stories and to improve the home's kitchen layout. McGraw said the lot is narrow and nonconforming under current rules and that his measurements show a variance request of about 3.3 to 3.5 feet from the village's 18‑foot combined side yard setback (section 7402E3). "Approval of that really allows sort of the simplest solution, which is squaring off of that existing structure and really making use of the existing resources," McGraw said.

The applicants told council members they had informed all abutting neighbors, and a written letter from the house at 7211 Delfield was submitted in support. A neighbor who joined the call said landscaping would screen the work and that the addition appeared unlikely to be disruptive. The applicants and their contractor estimated permits would be sought within a month, county permitting would take about two months, and on‑site construction could take roughly four to five months.

Council Chair Arthur framed the request as one of many variances that arise from historic lot patterns in Martin's Additions and said the narrow lot and existing nonconformity weighed in favor of approval. "Given what we've seen, the historical situation, the narrowness of the lot, I vote to approve the variance," Arthur said. Council member Jeff and others also expressed support, describing the proposal as minimal and neighborly.

The council's approval was verbal at the meeting; staff cautioned the decision is not final until a written decision is signed (typically within about a week). Applicants must still obtain required Montgomery County permits; once county permits are obtained and stamped plans are presented to village staff, the village will issue its permit within seven days.

The council did not record an alternative motion or any opposition in the meeting transcript; the record reflects affirmative votes by the chair and multiple council members and no stated objections from neighbors who spoke.

Next steps for the applicants are to proceed with county permit applications and return stamped plans to the village for permit issuance.