Lake Kampeska Resident Granted Front Yard Variance for Deck Expansion
- Steve Jurrens
- 15 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - A local homeowner’s plea to expand his outdoor living space was answered Thursday when the Watertown Board of Adjustment unanimously approved a variance for a front yard deck at a Lake Kampeska property.
The applicant, Douglas Deville, sought relief from the enforced 25-foot front yard setback requirement in the R-1 Single Family Residential District for his home at 475 S Lake Drive. The approved variance allows the property’s front setback to be reduced to 17.5 feet, accommodating the construction of a new 168-square-foot deck.
Community Development Manager Brandi Hanten introduced the agenda item, outlining the mathematical hardship facing the homeowner.
Currently, Deville’s primary structure sits 29.5 feet from the northwest property line. Under the city’s standard zoning ordinances (Chapter 21.60), unroofed porches, terraces, and decks are permitted to project up to five feet into a required front yard setback.
Hanten explained to the board that because Deville’s house sits 4.5 feet behind the required 25-foot line, he effectively had 9.5 feet of total buildable space for a deck without needing a variance. However, Deville requested to build a deck measuring 14 feet by 12 feet, which triggered a 7.5-foot encroachment into the restricted zone.
According to his application, a primary motivation for the 12-foot length is that decking materials are commonly sold pre-cut to 12 feet.
During the public hearing portion of the meeting, Deville stepped up to the podium to directly address the board, initially expressing confusion over the exact measurements but emphasizing his desire to comply with the city.
“I beg and plead this body to vote in my favor, obviously,” Deville said. “I was not aware of and didn’t think there would be any issue with a setback... but there is.”
A brief moment of confusion arose when Deville stated he thought he was only encroaching “about two feet” into the setback. Hanten gently corrected the math from the podium, providing real-time clarification for the applicant.
“That wasn’t my understanding when I came in the office the other day,” Deville noted. “She was talking about the 21-foot setback... 25 foot. That’s almost to the front door of my house.”
Hanten clarified, “You’re 29.5 feet... so you only have four and a half feet of additional buildable area before you encroach within your front yard setback.”
Deville explained that he had originally considered a smaller 8-foot deck, which would not have required board intervention, but opted for the larger size to make the space functional. He assured the board that the construction method would be low-impact and easily reversible.
“First of all, I guess I want to say I’m not digging for footings,” Deville testified. “I’m not putting up a concrete foundation for this deck. It’s just a deck. The way it sets in my eyes, it’s harmless.”
When asked by a board member to clarify his foundation plans, Deville confirmed, “I’ve got the concrete blocks buried, and then the posts sit within the 4x4 opening on the top.”
Hanten noted that the city does not have an “in-line provision” that dictates alignment with adjacent homes in this district. However, she referenced a vicinity map indicating that neighboring properties were not sitting closer to the property line, pointing out that the house to the immediate south sits approximately 32 feet off the line.
Recognizing that strict application of the code would deprive the homeowner of a functional outdoor living area, and with no neighbors present to oppose the project, the board closed the public hearing. The motion to approve the variance passed unanimously.
