7/9/26 Board of Appeals

The St. Mary's County Board of Appeals held a meeting on July 9, 2026, to consider two variance applications related to property development within critical area buffers. The first case involved a request by Francis Sha Bower III and Heather Sha Bower for a variance to construct a 12 by 18-foot deck within the 100-foot critical area buffer on their rural preservation zoned property. The board unanimously approved the variance after reviewing site plans and mitigation measures, including buffer planting requirements. The second case involved a variance request by the Cole and Lee property owners to repair and expand a sunroom, deck, and porch within the critical area buffer on a rural residential zoned property. The board approved the variance after detailed discussion of structural deficiencies, demolition, and reconstruction plans, as well as mitigation landscaping. Both approvals require buffer management plans and agreements prior to building permits. The meeting also included procedural matters such as approval of prior meeting minutes and updates on related compliance issues. No direct contract awards or procurement actions were discussed, but the variance approvals enable future construction activities subject to county regulations.