Glynn County Board of Appeals approves site‑coverage variance for St. Simons Island home with drainage condition

The Glynn County Board of Appeals approved a variance allowing a St. Simons Island home at 732 Ocean Boulevard to exceed the county's Resort Residential site‑coverage limit, voting to permit site coverage up to 63% with a condition that the homeowners address any future stormwater intrusion at their own expense.

Planning staff presented the request as a companion variance (ZV‑25‑49) tied to an earlier approval that resolved setback encroachments. Niecy Carroll, a planning staff member, told the board the applicant is seeking the variance "as a medical accommodation to provide ADA accessibility for the homeowner" and said staff "does recommend approval with conditions." The staff presentation noted on‑site changes since the prior hearing and that staff reviewed newly submitted materials before returning the item to the board.

Applicant and builder Lee Swofford said the project team removed pavers and made other revisions to create a 3‑foot wheelchair path around the house, and that the changes "got us down to that" coverage level. Swofford described termite damage and pier work discovered during renovations and said the owners would remove additional pavers if necessary to reduce coverage.

Several board members pressed whether the request represented an appropriate reasonable accommodation or instead would "strike the rules' purpose." One member summarized the math objection by saying the request to reach 63% represents a significant increase over the current 50% limit. Planning Director Stephanie Lee told the board the draft ordinance rewrite recommended a 60% maximum countywide and would go to the Board of Commissioners on April 2.

The board discussed settling on a lower cap tied to the pending ordinance change, but the motion that carried approved the variance with conditions: site coverage not to exceed 63% and any future water intrusion to be remedied at the homeowners' expense. The mover said, in explaining the motion, that "any future water intrusion would be on the expense of the homeowners." The chair seconded the motion and members signaled assent by voice.

Homeowner Robert Sher addressed the board during discussion, saying the owners would remove whatever paving is necessary to comply with the final requirement and asking to proceed so the homeowner could continue living in the house. Shannon Sharer, who identified herself for the record, also told the board that the surrounding grass typically absorbs stormwater and that the owners were willing to install French drains or other measures if required.

The board's approval included a condition intended to preserve the earlier variance's intent: if exterior walls granted under the prior variance are removed, that prior approval could be rendered void and the structure would have to be rebuilt to code within setbacks. After the vote the chair encouraged the applicants to "color between the lines" as the project proceeds.

The board took no separate roll‑call vote in the transcript; the motion passed by voice and the meeting was adjourned.

What happens next: the approved variance will be implemented under the motion's conditions; the county's pending ordinance rewrite (which would set a 60% maximum) is scheduled for consideration by the Board of Commissioners on April 2, according to planning staff.