Several homeowners ask Hillsborough County for smaller wetland setbacks for pools and accessory structures

At the start of the hearing, Development Services presented a string of variance requests to allow encroachments into the county's 30-foot wetland conservation setback for backyard pools, decking and accessory structures.

Wayne Duane (Development Services) summarized variance 2067 for the Shawn Jones property, noting the application filed 05/14/2026 seeks a 24-foot encroachment for a pool and other impervious surfaces; owner Lori Summers said the after-the-fact structures dated to the 1990s and that she had followed county review and provided mitigation. "Everything Wayne said is correct and I feel like we've taken all the steps that the county's asked us to take," Summers told the hearing officer.

Later, applicant Darryl Kurtz (Cody Pools) requested a 20-foot encroachment (resulting in a 10-foot remaining setback) for a pool and artificial turf; he said the lot layout left few practical alternatives for pool placement. Shane Garvey asked for a 15-foot encroachment for an accessory storage structure, citing flood-elevation constraints and the impracticality of stilted construction on his lot.

Staff repeatedly cautioned that any EPC (Environmental Protection Commission) approvals or permits remain separate, that approval of a county variance does not guarantee environmental permits, and that some site plans included wetland-setback compensation plans. The hearing officer closed each case after applicants and staff answered questions; no formal votes were taken at the hearing.