Lake Kampeska Homeowners Secure Variance for Large Garage Addition
- Steve Jurrens
- Mar 22
- 2 min read
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - Jason and Stephanie Lenards received the green light to move forward with a substantial expansion of their property at 434 S Lake Drive after the Board of Adjustment granted a side yard setback variance.
On March 19, 2026, the Watertown Board of Adjustment unanimously approved a side yard setback variance for property owners Jason and Stephanie Lenards, clearing the way for a substantial addition to their home at 434 S Lake Drive. The decision allows the homeowners to build a 48-foot extension to their existing attached garage while maintaining a 6.1-foot setback, despite the current R-1 zoning requiring 9 feet.
The requested variance was driven by a desire for architectural consistency and the preservation of existing natural light in the interior. Jason Lenards explained that the original house and garage were built in 1957 with a 6.1-foot setback, which was legal at the time.
“I don’t know how many years the garage has been there, but it’s been a long time,” Jason Lenards told the board. “We’d basically just like to come straight off the existing roofline just so it looks right and keep that same setback”.
The applicants also highlighted a practical hardship: shifting the new walls to meet the current 9-foot requirement would have necessitated covering existing windows, fundamentally altering the home’s interior environment. Furthermore, the addition will serve to move outdoor storage items, including a boat, into a fully enclosed space.
While neighbors Craig and Cindy Christensen expressed support for the quality of the project’s design, they voiced concerns regarding the scale of the structure so close to their shared property line.
“We think the project as a whole is well-designed,” Craig Christensen said during the hearing. “Our concern primarily is... we’re maintaining the 6-foot variance for another 48 feet. We’re doubling it, and it’s right along our property line”. Cindy Christensen added, “It’s a pretty big structure... we just want to make sure it’s done within guidelines that are amicable to both parties”.
Beyond the aesthetic impact, Bert Magstadt with Watertown Municipal Utilities raised a technical point regarding infrastructure. “We have no problem or concern about the variance at all,” Magstadt stated. “The only thing I want to bring up is the way they have it proposed, their electric line will probably be under it, so they’ll have to pay to have that relocated”.
Board member Todd Kays provided context for the approval, noting that the board often tries to avoid further encroaching into setbacks but finds merit in maintaining existing wall lines for additions.
“I view this as an expansion to a non-conforming use which... does not further exacerbate the existing non-conformity,” Kays observed. “The 9-foot setbacks at the lake, I know, historically were established many years ago... but they’ve never really been appropriate for this use. We’ve historically looked at these similar types of applications in the past”.
The Board of Adjustment voted unanimously to grant the variance.
