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Board grants Windsor variance after subdivision reclassification makes barn nonconforming
Summary
Dennis Windsor told the Calvert County Board of Appeals he sited a pole barn where topography allowed; the board concluded subdivision changes created the nonconformity, refunded an after‑the‑fact fee and unanimously granted a variance reducing the front setback from 60 to 40 feet.
The Calvert County Board of Appeals unanimously granted an after‑the‑fact variance for Dennis Windsor on Feb. 6, 2025, allowing a pole barn at 6312 Mill Branch Road to remain 40 feet from the front building restriction line instead of the standard 60 feet. Windsor told the board he built the barn in what he called the only practical location given the property’s topography and later sought to subdivide the lot for family conveyance.
Windsor, who identified himself for the record, said of the barn’s placement: "And I built it in the east or the best place I could considering what the topography of the lot is." Board discussion focused on whether county subdivision approval created the nonconforming condition; county staff acknowledged the subdivision prompted the after‑the‑fact filing and recommended treating the matter as a formal variance to create a clear record. The board voted to refund the applicant’s after‑the‑fact fee and then, after findings of practical difficulties related to topography and wetlands, moved to grant the variance with no conditions. The motion and vote were recorded as unanimous.
What happens next: the board’s written order will be issued within 45 days; the variance will allow Windsor to proceed with the subdivision intended for transfer to family members.
