David and Corinne Ross asked Howard County officials for a variance to allow construction of a 25-foot by 26-foot detached garage that would encroach 30.6 feet into the county's 50-foot front-yard setback, during an evidentiary hearing on case BA 25-001V. The applicants said site constraints leave them unable to build an attached garage or place a detached garage outside required setbacks.

The request, presented by Taina Peters on behalf of the applicants, cites a narrow pipe-stem lot, steep and irregular topography, a stream and a 100-year floodplain at the rear of the lot, and utility setbacks near the front and right side of the house that the applicants say make alternative locations infeasible. "We are writing to, request a variance for a 30 foot 6, encroachment into the front 50 foot setback, in order to build a 25 foot by 26 foot detached garage," Peters said.

Why this matters: a granted variance would permit construction closer to the roadway than normally allowed and could affect sight lines and utility setbacks on the parcel. Howard County staff noted the Health Department raised concerns about the well location and alternative site options; the department's requirements must be satisfied before a building permit can be issued even if the variance is granted. The hearing officer closed the evidentiary record and said a decision and order would be issued later.

Details and constraints cited by applicants

Taina Peters, who presented the case, and David and Corinne Ross described multiple site constraints that they said justify the variance. Peters said the lot is a "pipe stem lot" with "exceptional topography" and heavy tree cover, and that a 10-foot well setback along the front of the property prevents extending vehicular access forward of the existing driveway. She also said the right side of the house contains the septic system with a 20-foot setback that prevents placing a garage there. "There is a stream along the back of the property with a hundred year flood plain," Peters said.

David Ross said the house has a walkout basement and that both the house and the proposed garage would be single-story. He said the proposal places the garage on the left side of the house adjacent to the existing driveway and close to the lot line to "limit the amount of intrusiveness on the lot" and to conform to the existing driveway for vehicle access. "We are the only house on the street that doesn't have a way to protect the cars," Ross said, citing property-value and vehicle-protection reasons for seeking a two-car garage.

Corinne Ross said the wooded setting leads to debris and weather damage to vehicles, and described the garage as completing the house and providing storage and workspace. She told the hearing she purchased the property in June 2017.

Health department and permitting

The hearing officer noted that the Howard County Health Department had expressed concerns about the well and alternative site options. The officer told the applicants that any health-department requirements related to well location or septic setbacks must be resolved and that compliance is required before a building permit would be issued. The hearing record does not show a final determination on the variance; the officer closed the evidentiary hearing and said a written decision would follow.

Community input and visibility

Applicants said neighboring properties have attached garages and that, because the house sits behind a pipe stem and dense tree line, visibility from the roadway would be limited; they said nearby neighbors are supportive. No members of the public spoke in opposition during the hearing.

Next steps

The evidentiary hearing was closed; the hearing officer said a written decision and order will be issued in due course. If a variance is granted, the applicants will still need to satisfy Health Department and other permitting requirements before construction can begin.