Board of Appeals grants after‑the‑fact variance for 70‑year‑old shed at Sheridan Point Road

The Calvert County Board of Appeals voted unanimously June 4 to grant an after‑the‑fact variance allowing an expanded lean‑to on a cinder‑block shed at 6190 Sheridan Point Road. The board concluded the shed predated the parcel’s 1964 property line and that replacement would create an unwarranted hardship absent relief.

Jeffrey Toole, the applicants’ land surveyor, told the board the core block portion of the shed dates to the 1940s and “shows up on the 1957 aerial photos,” and said the proposal actually moves the new lean‑to farther away from the road. Toole said the addition would provide modest storage space and that the structure’s age and location created the practical difficulty requiring a variance.

During deliberations a board member reviewed the statutory and local variance criteria, saying the structure’s longevity before zoning constituted a “practical reason” for relief and that granting the variance would not injure the public interest. The board moved, seconded and approved findings of fact that the variance met standards including minimum adjustment and no adverse effect on the comprehensive plan.

The board closed the record on the case and directed the applicant to complete any required county permitting and inspections as a condition of the order. The decision will be issued in writing within the timeframe set by the board.