Board approves scaled‑back Paradise Island variances after neighbor and environmental concerns

The Board of Zoning Appeals approved a package of reduced critical‑line setbacks for a proposed residence at 1445 Cat Island Parkway after staff and the applicant presented a scaled‑back request and recommended conditions.

Staff said the applicant, Zach Carmel, had previously been denied a larger variance and had submitted a smaller request that staff characterized as possibly meeting most approval criteria, while recommending conditions including silk (silt) fencing along the buffer line, pervious driveway materials, and stormwater mitigation measures such as rain gardens. Staff also reported the critical‑line location as established by state coastal mapping agencies and noted the area’s history of marsh migration.

Several members of the public and environmental advocates urged the board to protect buffer zones so the marsh could migrate upland as sea level rises. Susan Kershaw, a nearby resident, told the board that buffer zones allow marsh migration and cautioned that too much encroachment harms the marsh and neighbors.

Board discussion focused on the age of the subdivision plat, how critical lines had shifted since initial platting, and whether the lot could accommodate a reasonable house without substantial encroachment. One board member noted that many lots in Paradise Island had been platted based on earlier critical‑line positions, creating unique hardships. The board approved the request with staff’s recommended conditions and limits on encroachments to the submitted footprint.