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Contractor missteps left homeowners seeking post-facto zoning relief for enclosed porch
Summary
Homeowners said their contractor obtained building permits and completed a porch enclosure before zoning authorization was confirmed; the municipality said building and zoning reviews are separate and the board granted a variance after reviewing the sequence and confirming no footprint change.
Andrew and Margaret Horvath told the board that contractor confusion about permitting led to the enclosure of a rear porch at 1307 West Oak Street before the zoning department flagged the need for a variance. The Horvaths said their contractor secured building permits and later a work stoppage revealed that zoning authorization was not in place for enclosing the porch.
Municipal representative Lieutenant Powell explained that building and zoning are separate reviews and that in this case the building department issued permits for discrete work (including steps) while the zoning department denied authorization for an enclosure until the variance was sought and reviewed. The board noted the work did not expand the porch footprint, relied on photographic evidence and floor plans provided by the applicants, and approved the variance 5-0. The Horvaths said they will pursue final inspections and will consider contractor accountability for permitting communication going forward.
