Board of Adjustment approves 1.7-foot setback variance for Harbor Point home

The Port Richey City Board of Adjustment voted to approve a variance allowing a 1.7-foot encroachment into the required 25-foot front-yard setback at 4529 Harbor Point Drive so the homeowner can modify an attached garage and install vehicle lifts to reduce flood damage.

The board considered a staff report from the city planner, who said the lot sits in the R-1 single-family residential zoning district, measures roughly 17,400 square feet and has a curved frontage that limits building depth. The planner told the board the request represents about a 7% reduction in the front-yard setback and said staff’s analysis identified the lot geometry as the primary hardship supporting a variance under the city’s land development code. “If the required criteria are satisfied, then the variance may be approved subject to any conditions,” the planner said.

The applicant described recent storm damage that left garage contents — tools, bikes and other items — unrecoverable under the family’s flood insurance and said the proposed change would provide elevated storage and allow vehicle lifts to protect cars during high water. “Because we were built to code, our flood insurance covered nothing,” the applicant said, arguing the modest encroachment affects only one corner of the lot because of the street curve.

Board members asked technical questions about an existing overhang and the position of front stairs. The building official clarified that eaves are typically not factored into setback measurements and explained how the stair reconfiguration produces the 1.7-foot encroachment at one corner.

After discussion, a board member moved to approve the variance as requested and another seconded; the board voted by voice and approved the motion. The motion approved the variance to allow the front-yard encroachment for reconstruction and modification of the existing garage to accommodate a standard garage door and vehicle lift.

Following the vote, the applicant said she had received a recent letter that incorrectly claimed staff approval and demanded a $4,500 wire transfer to finalize the application. She said she recovered the money and warned others about the communication. The chair responded that the city would not send such a letter.

The board also handled routine business, including approving minutes, selecting a vice chair for the meeting, and discussing scheduling for the next Board of Adjustment meeting. No other variances were acted on during the session.

The board approved the variance and the meeting was adjourned.