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Board approves 10-foot front-setback variance for Schooner Bay property
Summary
The Accomack County Board of Zoning Appeals approved a 10-foot variance from the 50-foot front setback for a Schooner Bay lot, despite staff finding the applicant could alter the house footprint to avoid the variance; approval carries six staff conditions.
The Accomack County Board of Zoning Appeals voted to approve a 10-foot variance from the county’s 50-foot front-setback requirement for a Schooner Bay residential parcel (VAR00752026).
Cindy Jones, a county code enforcement officer, told the board the request involves a dwelling footprint located in a resource protection area and floodplain (BFE 6–7) and that "the applicant proposes to build a dwelling 40 feet from the front property line." Jones said staff’s analysis concluded the home could be altered to meet setback rules and therefore did not meet the usual threshold for a variance, but she listed six conditions staff would recommend if the board chose to approve it.
Applicant Susan Ballard said the planned two-story house would meet the Schooner Bay homeowners association minimum house size but that, given the lot’s shape and environmental constraints, "I don't know how we could do it without a variance." Ballard told the board the proposed 650-square-foot footprint (1,300 square feet finished across two stories) was sized so the house could comply with both HOA and county constraints as closely as possible.
A board member moved to approve a 10-foot variance under Accomack County Code §106-81 with the six staff-recommended conditions; the motion was seconded and carried on a voice vote. The conditions include obtaining building permits, complying with health and VDOT requirements, meeting RPA and flood-plain regulations, allowing county inspections until a certificate of occupancy is issued, providing a certified survey showing the proposed footprint and property corners, and rendering the variance null and void if conditions are violated.
The board did not record a roll-call tally in the transcript; the outcome was announced as approved by voice vote. The board will include this item in its meeting record and staff will follow up on the required inspections and permit steps.
