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Board approves accessory dwelling unit at 167 Virginia Road after staff finds project complies with standards
Summary
The Montreat Board of Adjustments approved a special use permit allowing an accessory dwelling unit at 167 Virginia Road after staff found the rebuilt unit would be outside the 100‑year floodplain and meet ADU standards; variances were postponed for lack of a required supermajority.
The Montreat Board of Adjustments on Thursday approved a special use permit allowing an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) at 167 Virginia Road, authorizing property owner Grant Dasher to demolish a flood‑damaged structure and rebuild a smaller dwelling outside the town’s 100‑year floodplain.
Staff presented the Dasher application and told the board the subject lot (PIN 071075493000000) is zoned R2 and the proposed ADU complies with the town’s ADU standards in Section 619.1, including setbacks, subordinate size, parking and required kitchen and bath facilities. "An accessory dwelling unit shall be located only on a residential lot containing one single‑family detached structure," staff explained, and showed the proposed footprint would be pulled out of the floodplain and the 30‑foot stream buffer.
The board discussed technical details and conditions. The applicant’s site planner, April Carter, said the finished ridgeline would be about 25 feet, the footprint was extended two feet to allow 36‑inch doorways for aging‑in‑place access, and at least two parking spaces were planned off Overbrook Road. Owner Grant Dasher described water and structural damage from storm Helene and told the board he intends to remove the old damaged unit, remediate the site and plant streamside vegetation: "We did receive some flood damage on the property during Helene, and I looked at trying to fix it...it just wasn't a good idea based upon what was done...it was not in great shape to begin with," he said.
The board attorney advised the panel that statewide emergency legislation related to the aftermath of storm Helene extended permits that were valid at any time in 2024 through December 2027. "So if you had a permit that was valid at any time in 2024, then your permit was extended," the attorney said, a point staff cited in discussing which items required immediate action.
After deliberation, a board member moved to approve the ADU special use permit for 167 Virginia Road under the applicable zoning provisions; Richard Divert seconded the motion and the board approved it by voice vote. The board indicated it would impose the standard findings and noted that erosion and sediment control, stormwater management and any required right‑of‑way or cut permits for parking remain conditions the applicant must satisfy before construction proceeds.
The approval does not obviate required permits: staff said stormwater measures and, if needed, a new right‑of‑way agreement or cut permit for access from Overbrook Road must still be obtained. The board also directed staff to draft the written order reflecting the findings the board relied on when granting the permit.
Separately, the board postponed two variance matters because it lacked the four‑fifths majority required for variance relief; those items were continued to the Oct. 23 Board of Adjustments meeting.
The board will include standard conditions in the written order and monitor permitting steps such as stormwater and right‑of‑way approvals before construction begins.
