Board approves 5-foot setback for proposed Quonset hut in Saint David

The Cochise County Board of Adjustment approved a variance allowing a proposed 30-by-30-foot Quonset hut to sit 5 feet from the south property line on a 1.1-acre parcel at 541 East Calle Oro in Saint David.

Staff presented the request for applicant Jacob Miller and said the irregular parcel shape and existing septic placement limited options; no opposition was reported. Sharon, the case planner, said the request complied or partially complied with five of the eight variance factors and that the proposed structure was unlikely to affect neighborhood character.

Jacob Miller told the board that moving the Quonset hut to the required 20-foot setback would encroach on his septic leach lines and prevent vehicle access to the storage unit, stating the septic is "right there in the middle" of the property and that a 20-foot shift would make access infeasible. When asked, he said the neighboring property owner on the south (his brother) does not object.

Following staff's recommendation for approval, a board member moved and a second was recorded; the board voted by voice and the motion carried. Staff said they would issue written confirmation to the applicant.

Why it matters: the decision allows a small commercial-style accessory structure closer to a property line than county zoning normally permits because the applicant documented septic and access constraints. The board recorded no special conditions on the grant.