Front yard pool permitted by mistake has neighbors of 20 years in a feud
By Tony Atkins
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MAITLAND, Florida (WESH) — A proposed – and partially built – swimming pool is creating tension between longtime neighbors in a Maitland community.
The dispute centers on one man’s plan to build the pool in his front yard.
Jason White and Robbie Taylor have lived across the street from each other for more than 20 years. But White says they haven’t spoken in years, and the pool project has made things worse.
“They started construction. They dug the hole. There’s some rebar, rough-in plumbing so far. Then a hold was held on the permit,” White said.
White believes the front-yard pool violates Seminole County’s land development code and could cause flooding issues since his home sits downhill from Taylor’s.
“My biggest concern is flooding,” White said. “I live downhill, and that’s how my house was bought. I can deal with it, just like their house was bought with a weird yard.”
On Monday, the Seminole County Board of Adjustors approved Taylor’s plan to continue building the pool after a temporary stop on the permit.
“The applicants proceeded with construction, but it was stopped when it was discovered that the pool was issued in error,” said Kathy Hammel, the county’s principal planner.
For now, a black tarp covers the front yard project. The board’s approval allows construction to continue as long as the pool isn’t visible from the street.
“We do want our privacy, so we’ll definitely have something that’s going to be blocking it,” Taylor said.
Hammel noted the county will still need to review fencing plans. “We need to be mindful of the variances for the fence,” she said. “A six-foot private fence may not meet the setbacks.”
Some neighbors, like Rick Anderson, say they don’t see a problem with the front-yard pool.
“It’s a tough situation,” Anderson said. “From a visual standpoint, most of the neighborhood does not see it as a detriment.”
But White disagrees.
“It’s going to decrease my property values, increase my flooding chances, and it’s just an eyesore for my front yard,” he said. “I look in my front yard, I’m going to see somebody in a pool.”
White said he plans to appeal the board’s decision to the Seminole County Board of Commissioners.
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