This meeting is being recorded. Okay, and I've started the recording. Okay, that. Good morning. We are here in the case of VA 24-028B. I'm Catherine Taylor, one of the Howard County Hearing Examiners. This is the case of theodore and Nancy Hartguff. And the request is for a variance, actually several variances, but from section 108, 0, d4c, 1b, to reduce the required 10 foot side setback to 5 feet for the construction of a proposed two-car garage and then also to allow variances for existing sheds that I believe are on the front, in question to the front and rear setbacks. Just a few things for the record. We have rich Campbell, who I understand is with the petitioner and Ted Hartguh. And then also Jennifer Harrison is on line. Yes, she's assisting the homeowners. So I don't know if you want her elevated at this time or not. Why don't we go ahead and do that? And then what I'll do is I'll ask each of them to state and spell their names and I'll swear everybody in and so we're good. Okay, but just a few things. So for the record, the documents that have already been submitted, which include the petition, the plans, I think there were revised plans and revised petition, are part of the record. They can be referred to and don't have to be separately admitted into this proceeding. If you have any documents that have not yet been provided to the Board of Administrative, those will have to be entered separately into this proceeding as an exhibit. The posting and publication has been submitted, certification of posting and publication if it's submitted to DPC. And that's pretty much it for the preliminaries. So who will be speaking primarily on behalf of the heart does? Jennifer Harrison? Okay. And. Okay, I think you just unmute yourself. Yes, sorry. Good morning. And Mr. Campbell is, is he with. Is he and what is, do you know his role? He's the builder. Okay. Well, Mr. Campbell be speaking. If necessary, yes. If there he has questions. Okay, and then saying for Mr. Hart the. Okay. Well, let's do this. If Mr. Campbell, Mr. Hartgiff, you would just activate your video just in order. So unless you didn't intend to speak at all. I'd love to if I knew how to do that. Okay. Mr. Hartgiff, at the bottom of your screen, it says start video. Yes. Just go ahead and click that. Okay. Mr. Harka at the bottom of your screen it says start video. Yes. Just go ahead and click that. Okay. He's on twice. No, there we go. Me. Okay, well, I tell you what, you don't have to activate it, right? Yeah, if we'll deal with that, if the infection is going to be providing any testimony. So Ms. Harrison, will you spell and state your name for the record please? Yes, it's Jennifer Ella Harrison, J-E-N-N-I-F-E-R, L-S-N-L-H-H-A-R-R-I-S-O-N. Okay, thank you. And Mr. Campbell the same for you. Richard Campbell, did you want me to spell it? Yes, please for the record. Yes. Okay, Richard R-I-C-H-A-R-D Vincent D. Campbell, C-A-M-P-B-E-L-L. And oh, I see you, Mr. Hartga. Would you state and spell your name for the record, please? Sure, my name is C-Anor Hartga, TH-E-O-D-O-R-E-H-A-R-T-K-A. All right. And do you all solemnly promise to speak to it, we need to test money about to give if you provide any testimony? Yes. Yeah. Okay. All right. So, Mr. Campbell and Mr. Hartka, since Jennifer Harrison is going to, I guess, do probably most of the presenting, you can just, you're welcome to go off screen and mute your microphones. All right. Can proceed. This Harrison. Oh, thank you. Good morning. Where are you today representing the hard-cuzz there requesting to build a 22 by 30 foot attached garage to their existing ranch home? The reason for the variance is a five foot encroachment into the existing 10 foot side setback. Some of the reasons that they feel that they should be granted the variance is the narrowness of the property does not allow for the disnumbering garages to the existing residents that other homes on the street currently have, which is why we're asking for the setback variance. Other neighboring homes have attached garages, the granting of the variance to the side setback will not alter the central character of the neighborhood nor will it impair the neighboring property. Also the noun is to the side setback will not alter the essential character of the neighborhood, nor will it impair the neighboring property. Also, the narrowness of the property is not a hardship created by the homeowners. It's a standard-sized lot for those neighborhoods that also have had garages attached. We are also requesting the minimum encroachment into the setback to afford relief. So So in summary, they are requesting to encroach five foot into a 10 foot side setback on the property. Another small part of the variance is there's two existing sheds that have been there I believe for over 15 to 20 years that it came up during the process. We did add those to there. It encroaches in the rear and the side setbacks, but those have been existing. Okay, so I'm looking at the plan here. So to the rear of the property is what is to the rear of the property? It looks like there are two lots, but is there any property between those two lots at the rear of the property? Not to the best of my knowledge. Okay. It abunts other properties. And it looks like my apologies. There's a five foot utility easement. Okay. On the back of each property. Okay, it's all something there. Okay, so a five foot utility easement. That's shown. And then it appears that there's a brick wall. Is that part of the heart-cuz property? The block walls, I believe, the retaining walls are yes. OK. And then, OK. so the shed in the back. Is well, both of the shed are completely within the rear and or side setbacks. The size. See the size of the shed on this. The sizes are 7 by 15 and. And what is the smaller one or smaller narrow one appears to be 7 by 15. Oh, 7 by 15 and then 12 by 12. Is that correct? That's correct. Okay. And are they on like permanent foundations? Ted would have to answer that. Okay. They are not. Okay. And I did excuse me just for a second. I wanted to mention the the stone wall that was referred to in the in the survey. It's actually it's actually just a stone border for a garden. Okay. The wall is just a stone border for a garden. Okay. So did I'm curious. Did DPC Ms. Harrison tell you that you're going to need, that they're going to need a variance for those two sheds? They asked me to include those in the application. Okay, okay. Yes, some sheds don't, don't need a variance, but I'll check these probably do because of the size. Okay, so then the garage is going to be on the south side of the property. And you said it's 22 by 30. 30, okay. Which is pretty standard. And will there be any changes to the asphalt drive-layers that garage or is there already the asphalt driveway and is that already in existence? We're attached marked under the proposed garage, that's already existing asphalt. Okay, that'll be removed for the construction of the garage and the rest of the driveway as marked will remain. Okay. I note that I'm just going to note this for the record. When I was looking through the comments, there is a, an October 23, 2024 comment from DED, that I think has a typo, and I think it's an important typo. It says DED has reviewed the request to build a two-car garage and encroach into the four foot and encroach four feet into the side yard setback. I think that's five feet, correct? Yes, ma'am. Yeah. And then it says the construction of this garage will be detrimental to the neighborhood. And then it says since the homes on either side have two car garages, I think that is supposed to be will not be that correct. Okay, and there are other comments. So I've certainly seen I'm very familiar with Britney Drive and I agree that many of the homes on Britney Drive have two car garages and or two car car ports and that that the that the variance here is reasonable. It's the minimum necessary to afford relief will not impair or be detrimental to the neighborhood The the lot is somewhat unique only only because it's not that it's so narrow, but you know this is of course a time when ranch homes were wider than two storey homes are now. So and then as to the sheds in the rear if they need variances I believe believe that those are reasonable and necessary too. So I'm gonna let you know that I will grant the variances. However, this decision does not become effective until I issue a written decision in order. Just wanna let you know, however, that I do plan to grant the variances. Thank you. Okay. All right. So I have 30 days in which to issue the written decision in order, I'm actually going on vacation for two weeks. So it will be at least two weeks. That's why, you know, when I let you know, ahead of time that I do plan to grant it. All right, we'll go off the record. Everybody have a good day. Great. Thank you very much. Happy St. Paddy's Day. Thank you. Bye-bye.