Orange County — Board of Zoning Adjustment

VA-04-09-011 — Enock Pierre

Request: Variance in R-1A (single family -7,500 sq. ft. lots) zone to enclose existing carport and to remain 3 ft. from side property line in lieu of 7.5 ft.

Decision: Denied

Hearing: The request was made as a result of Code Enforcement action. The application submitted by the applicant stated his request was to enclose a carport to house a vehicle. However, on-site inspection conducted by staff revealed the subject structure was a utility shed with an overhead door attached to the side of the house with roadside frontage. That shed is neither long enough nor is the opening wide enough to accommodate a car. The Code Enforcement Officer reported the applicant was cited for erecting that structure with no permit. Furthermore, the applicant was using the shed to house merchandise for weekly garage sales, and, as a distribution center for shipping merchandise overseas. Code Enforcement advised the applicant these were zoning violations and to cease and desist. The BZA felt the request lacked merit and did not meet the Variance criteria. Furthermore, the BZA had a problem with aesthetics in that the shed, attached to the house in that location is mismatched with the house as regards, material design, elevation, and exterior coloration. The district BZA representative noted this neighborhood is working hard to improve aesthetics here, and that this request opposes that venture. There was no opposition present at the BZA hearing.