Elm Grove board allows retroactive shed at 1900 Highland Drive, conditions tied to compliance

The Elm Grove Building Board unanimously approved a conditional placement for a shed built without a permit at 1900 Highland Drive on May 19, requiring the owners to trim the structure to the 10-foot maximum and install a concrete foundation.

Owner Geoffrey Wilber described the shed’s current support on compacted crushed rock and detailed plans to lift the structure using a car jack and a hydraulic jack, set it temporarily on cinder blocks and pour a concrete slab beneath. Wilber said steep grades and wetlands on the lot constrain alternate locations and provided signed approvals from adjacent property owners to proceed within the street-yard setback.

Zoning Administrator Sowl clarified ordinance provisions that allow the building board discretion to permit accessory structures within required setbacks when neighbor approvals are obtained. Staff also corrected an initial description that had referred to the mapped area as a "floodplain," noting the map showed wetland instead. The board discussed prior denials for similar front-yard shed requests on other properties and focused on whether the current parcel truly lacked a viable alternative placement.

Board members acknowledged the shed’s high-quality appearance but emphasized that aesthetics alone are not a basis for approval. Mr. Roge moved to approve the structure’s placement on the basis that wetlands, steep grades and site constraints made the current location the only viable option, provided the shed is brought into full compliance by trimming height to 10 feet and adding a proper concrete foundation. Mr. Matola seconded; the motion passed 5-0.

The board also asked staff to continue work on a pending accessory-structure ordinance update addressing front-yard placements to provide clearer standards for future cases.