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Variances granted for shed and proposed garage on narrow Port Republic lot
Summary
County planners and the Board of Appeals said a recorded 50‑ft right‑of‑way and pie‑shaped lot made an existing shed and proposed garage nonconforming; the board granted variances to allow a 12×20 shed and a 28×40 garage at 5185 Consent Drive.
On Feb. 6 the Calvert County Board of Appeals approved variances for 5185 Consent Drive, Port Republic, after hearing from Timothy Moore of Southern Remodeling and William Burton. Moore explained that a shared driveway and a recorded right‑of‑way created an unusual lot frontage that left the only buildable, relatively flat area toward Consent Drive and required setback relief to site a proposed 28×40 detached garage and allow an existing 12×20 shed to remain.
Moore described the lot as "very peculiar" and flagged that the county considers a shared access as the front building restriction line; county planner Chris Fenimore confirmed Consent Drive is a public county road but that the recorded 50‑ft right‑of‑way determines the front building restriction line for Lot 16. The applicant noted the shed is portable and "It's a portable building actually. I mean, it could be moved," but argued the location is the only practical spot. After review, the board found special circumstances (topography, conservation area at the rear) and unanimously granted the requested variances.
Next steps: staff will record the board’s findings and the written order will be issued per the board’s 45‑day process; applicants may proceed with permitting subject to any building‑permit and mitigation requirements in the staff report.
