Dinwiddie County hearing panel denies front-setback variance for Jordan Heights lot

A Dinwiddie County hearing panel voted to deny a homeowner's request to reduce the front-yard setback at 22181 Jordan Heights Drive.

During a public hearing on case V-25-1, county staff presented a report recommending denial of the requested 15-foot variance that would move the required front setback from a grandfathered 35 feet to 20 feet. "For case V-25-1, staff recommends denial of the variance of 15 feet from the front setback requirement for a proposed single family dwelling," county staff said during the presentation. Staff told the panel a 2024 survey shows about 4,488.49 square feet of buildable area on the lot outside an existing sewer easement and concluded that the topography and easement do not prevent development under current zoning rules.

The homeowner, Dion Fields, who identified himself at the hearing as the owner of 22181 Jordan Heights Drive, asked the panel to allow the house to be shifted forward to avoid building over the sewer easement and to provide accessible space for family members. "I'm trying to move my parents in with me," Fields said, describing why he wanted to adjust the house placement. Fields said he bought the lot in May 2024 and that the sewer easement and rear slope make the preferred layout more difficult and potentially more expensive.

Board members questioned staff and the applicant about the measurements and alternatives. Staff and multiple members discussed that the Lake Jordan subdivision was platted under an earlier ordinance that established a 35-foot front setback (measured from the property line) while the current county ordinance sets a 65-foot setback measured from the centerline of the road. Staff noted an approved building permit exists showing a plan that meets the 35-foot setback and said shifting the house to the right within the lot could allow a larger buildable envelope without intruding on the sewer easement.

After the applicant's testimony and follow-up questions from members, a motion to deny the variance was made and seconded. The panel approved the motion; the chair announced that V-25-1 was denied. The record shows the panel took no other action on the request. The hearing concluded with routine closing remarks and adjournment.

What happens next: Panel members and staff suggested the applicant and contractor could revise the plans to locate the house within the existing 35-foot setback and away from the sewer easement. There was no formal direction recorded in the meeting minutes for additional staff work on the case.