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Commission approves pool setback variance at 620 10th Street over objections about hardship standard
Summary
The commission unanimously approved a 3‑foot pool setback variance for Ken Jones at 620 10th Street after the Planning & Zoning Board recommended approval; one commissioner urged review of the City's hardship criteria.
Ken Jones, owner of 620 10th Street, asked the commission to grant a variance allowing a residential pool to encroach 3 feet into the required setback. Jones told the commission the practical effect of the variance "would be reduced to approximately 18 inches," and he said the seawall and engineering work would keep the structure secure and largely unnoticeable.
Planning & Zoning Chair George Lancaster told the commission the board recommended approval with conditions and Building Official Tony Loreno confirmed "there were no open items on the request" and that the pool contractor and engineer had addressed the applicable engineering requirements. Vice‑Mayor Doug Colonell moved to approve the variance; Commissioner Tom DiFransico seconded and the roll call vote was unanimous.
Commissioner DiFransico raised broader procedural concerns during discussion, saying the City's hardship standard may not have been met and urging a review of Land Development Regulations so that competitive pressures in the short‑term rental market are not treated as a hardship that justifies variances. Mayor Foster and Chair Lancaster acknowledged differing interpretations of "hardship" but noted statutes guide P&Z recommendations.
The motion passed with unanimous support; Building Official Loreno will follow up on the board's stated conditions and any remaining documentation.
