Board denies variances for 1708 North Lakeside after staff finds applicant‑created error

Planning staff recommended that the board deny two variance requests for 1708 North Lakeside Drive because the deviation from required side setbacks resulted from actions by the applicant or its agents and did not meet the variance criteria. Senior community planner Karina Maldonado told the board staff did not find the special‑circumstance and minimum‑variance findings necessary to approve the request and that granting relief would not meet the full four‑part test required for a variance.

The permit coordinator for Streamline Building and Development explained the construction followed a proposed survey that placed the structure in the wrong location and said a form‑board survey and subsequent inspections did not catch the error; the coordinator asked the board to legalize the existing construction, saying demolition would be financially and practically ruinous. "We do believe we should be granted this variance due to the failure of the city inspector to complete the form board inspection properly," the permit coordinator argued. Neighbors and a retired construction superintendent questioned how the discrepancy occurred.

Board members discussed liability, inspection practices and the variance criteria. The city attorney and staff reiterated that the variance criteria require that the condition not be the result of the applicant’s action; the chair and one member said while the presence of the building creates hardship, they could not find it met the first variance criterion. A motion to disapprove the variances carried. The applicant retains appeal options including City Commission or circuit court.