Board approves reduced front and rear setbacks for two‑story house at 540 North Charles Street
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Summary
A developer received approval July 17 to reduce front and rear yard setbacks by 5 feet for a proposed two‑story, 2,170‑square‑foot home at 540 North Charles Street; a neighbor raised concerns about scale and neighborhood character.
The Board of Zoning Adjustments on July 17 approved variances reducing the front and rear yard setbacks for a proposed two‑story home at 540 North Charles Street.
The application (BOA2025‑014), filed by Tanisha Swanson of Swanson Consulting on behalf of Legacy Investment Team LLC, requested reductions in front and rear setbacks from 25 feet to 20 feet to allow construction of a 2,170‑square‑foot, two‑story home on a vacant parcel (Parcel ID 5338‑44‑01‑0060).
Swanson said the project is part of a small redevelopment effort to replace dilapidated houses and bring new homes to the area; she noted many existing lots historically contained two‑story multifamily structures. Fred Hoffman, owner of 544 North Charles Street, opposed the scale of the proposed house and said most neighboring houses are single‑story. "That's pretty big for the neighborhood," Hoffman said, adding concerns about yard space for children.
Board members and staff noted the city regulates height (up to 35 feet for midpoint between ridge and eave) and that two‑story homes can be built under current rules; the requested variance was specifically for cantilevered second‑floor portions that exceed setback limits. The board voted 5–0 to approve the variances; recorded yes votes were John George, Charles Cameron, Leon McCray, Patrick Connors and Chairman David Betts.
The approval allows the developer to continue with permitting; any building permits, inspections and compliance with other code standards remain the responsibility of the permitting office.