The Monroe County Board of Zoning Appeals on a 3-0 vote approved two variances for the Anders property at 6221 South Shields Ridge Road, allowing a small bedroom addition and porch work on an existing, nonconforming house.

The variances approved were VAR-25-7A, a side-yard setback variance to Chapter 805, and VAR-25-7B, an Eco Area 2 variance to Chapter 823 addressing maximum residential density and the one-acre contiguous buildable-area requirement. The approvals allow the petitioner to continue the permitting process for the proposed exterior changes; the eco-area variances run with the land in perpetuity.

The petitioner applied for a building permit in February 2025 for interior remodeling (1,326 square feet reported in the application), a 50-square-foot addition, and a new porch and deck. Planning staff described the structure as preexisting nonconforming because the house sits about 5 to 6 feet from the side property line, while the current Residential 1 zoning requires a 10-foot side setback. Staff also noted that the parcel is smaller than the Eco Area 2 requirement (0.92 acres vs. the required one acre of contiguous buildable area and 1 unit per 2.5 acres density standard), which triggered the eco-area variance requirement.

Staff recommended approval, saying “practical difficulties have been demonstrated,” in part because the prior zoning (Suburban Residential) required a 5-foot side setback and the existing house would likely have complied under the earlier rules. Planning staff also explained that if the variances were denied, the petitioner could still pursue interior work that requires only an improvement-location permit waiver but could not proceed with the footprint expansion as proposed.

Petitioner Andrew Anders told the board that the green area on the plan “is the existing porch. I'm just going to replace the lumber on that, and it's not going to be covered,” and that the bedroom expansion is intended to make the master bedroom usable. No members of the public spoke in opposition.

The roll call for the motion to approve recorded Guy Loughman, Jeff Morris and Pamela Davidson voting yes; the motion carried 3-0.

The board and staff noted that future development on the parcel must comply with applicable setbacks and the conditions of the eco-area variances.

The approved variances allow the Anders family to proceed with the small exterior work while leaving the parcel’s long-term eco-area obligations intact.