Ponte Vedra board denies variance for exterior stairs at 110 Overlook Drive

The Ponte Vedra Zoning & Adjustment Board on a 5–0 vote with one abstention denied a variance request for exterior stairs and a door at 110 Overlook Drive, concluding the structure encroached on required setbacks and raised unresolved safety and permit issues.

Philip Sykes, the homeowner and applicant, told the board the stairs were built without a permit and that he and his wife, who recently moved from the United Kingdom, had not intended to operate the home as short‑term rental. "Firstly, it was an oversight on our behalf," Sykes said, adding the couple would comply with the board's decision. Neighbors urged denial: John Salucci, a 39‑year resident at 101 Overlook Drive, called the stairway "unsightly" and inconsistent with neighborhood character, and Belk Ingram of 102 Overlook Drive urged the board to reject the encroachment into the setback.

Board members pressed the applicant about construction details, including whether a licensed contractor or structural engineer signed off on the work, whether the stairs functioned as fire egress, and whether parts of the structure intruded onto the neighboring lot. Staff confirmed there is an open code‑enforcement case tied to the structure and that, if the applicant does not successfully appeal, code enforcement would typically set a compliance timetable that often begins around 30 days and may be extended while adequate progress is made.

A motion to deny the variance was made "based upon the four findings of fact as listed in the staff report," the mover said, and the chair clarified voting: "A vote of yes is a vote for denial." The chair announced the board's decision and informed the applicant of the right to appeal to the Board of County Commissioners within the statutory time limit.