HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-24 BZA Staff Report
VARIANCE APPLICATION #02-24
RICK & LINDA TALIAFERRO (D. MCKEE, POA)
Staff Report for the Board of Zoning Appeals
Prepared February 8, 2024
Staff Contact Mark R. Cheran Zoning Administrator
This report is prepared by the Frederick County Planning Staff to provide information to the Board
of Zoning Appeals to assist them in making a decision on this request. It may also be useful to
others interested in this zoning matter.
BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS HEARING DATE:
February 20, 2024
Public Hearing; Action Pending
LOCATION: The property is located on Orchard Drive (Lot 15).
MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT: Back Creek
PROPERTY ID NUMBER: 73-2-1-15
PROPERTY ZONING & USE: Zoned: RA (Rural Areas) District
Land Use: Vacant
ADJOINING PROPERTY ZONING & USE:
North: RA (Rural Areas) District Use: Vacant
South: RA (Rural Areas) District Use: Residential
East: RA (Rural Areas) District Use: Residential
West RA (Rural Areas) District Use: Vacant
VARIANCE REQUESTED: The Applicant is requesting a 98-foot variance to a required 200-foot
yard setback which will result in a 102-foot rear yard setback for a dwelling.
REASON FOR VARIANCE: The property cannot meet the current RA setbacks as the property is
adjacent to a parcel within the South Frederick Agricultural Forest District.
STAFF COMMENTS: This 5.10 +/- acre property was created in 1976 as part of the Long View
Acres subdivision. The property is currently zoned RA (Rural Areas). This property does not have
Building Restriction Lines (BRL) assigned to it and would have to meet the current RA (Rural
Areas) District setbacks. The Frederick County historical zoning map shows this property as being
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Variance #02-24 – Rick & Linda Taliaferro (D. McKee, POA)
Page 2
February 8, 2024
zoned A-2 (Agricultural General) in 1967. The property setback lines at the adoption of the Zoning
Ordinance were 35-feet for the front, 35-feet for the side yards and 35-feet for the rear yard.
Frederick County amended its Ordinance in 1989 to change the A-2 Zoning District to the RA (Rural
Areas) Zoning District. The Frederick County Board of Supervisors amended the setbacks for the
RA Zoning District on February 28, 2007, making the current setbacks for this property 60-feet for
the front, 200-feet to the rear, and 100-feet left-side yard and 50-feet right-side yard.
STAFF CONCLUSIONS FOR THE FEBRUARY 20, 2024, MEETING:
The Code of Virginia 15.2-2309 (2) and Code of Frederick 165-1001.2, states that no variance shall
be granted unless the application can meet the following requirements:
1) The property interest for which the variance is being requested was acquired in good faith.
2) The granting of the variance will not be a substantial detriment to adjoining property or
nearby properties in the proximity of that geographical area.
3) The condition or situation of the property concerned is not of so general or recurring as to
make reasonably practicable the formulation of a general regulation to be adopted as an
amendment to the ordinance.
4) The granting of the variance does not result in a use that is otherwise permitted on such
property or a change in the zoning classification of the property.
5) The relief or remedy sought by the variance is not available through a special exception or
the process for modification of a zoning ordinance.
This proposed variance appears to be consistent with the character of the district; and meets the
intent of The Code of Virginia 15.2309 (2) and the Code of Frederick County. This is a request from
the current setbacks of the RA (Rural Areas) Zoning District maybe appropriate.
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