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A valid concern
Supervisor Mike Massie, in his capacity as the Board of Supervisors' representative to the county Planning Commission, expressed concern last week that approval of a variance request based on the erroneous siting of a home may set a precedent which will come back to haunt the county.
Over Mr. Massie’s objection, the planners recommended that the Board of Zoning Appeals approve the variance.
Mr. Massie correctly pointed out that, historically, such excuses have been given when property-owners ignore the county’s zoning requirements. It’s well known, Mr. Massie said, that you can put your house where you want, then plead ignorance and apply for a variance. “They don’t make you move it.”
Though there was no evidence of such subterfuge in the situation addressed by the planners last week, Mr. Massie does have a point.
Property-owners and contractors in the county must understand that the county has no obligation to approve such requests — and that, in the future, such mistakes will not automatically lead to a variance.
Such mistakes are certainly expensive — but the expense should not be borne by the taxpayers or officials of Rappahannock County. r
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