Appeal of a Board of Appeals’ Decision on ZV-26-15 732 Ocean Blvd, SSI.: The Glynn County Board of Commissioners has received an appeal of an August 13, 2026, decision made by the Board of Appeals of Glynn County in Case Number ZV-26-15. The Glynn County Board of Commissioners will conduct a public hearing to consider the property owners’ appeal of the Board of Appeals’ August 13, 2026, denial of a variance request for a variance to the Glynn County Zoning Ordinance Section 6.2.7, to reduce the front and right-yard setbacks. The property is zoned RR- Resort Residential and is located at 732 Ocean Blvd, Saint Simons Island, GA (parcel 04-04782). Bernard Swafford, applicant and agent, Robert and Shannon Scherer, owners.
(R. Carroll)APPEAL
In accordance with Section 8.2.8, Zoning Ordinance, Lee Swafford, as an applicant and agent, and Robert and Shannon Scherer, owners, affected by a decision of the Board of Appeals (BOA), has appealed to the Glynn County Board of Commissioners (BOC), the August 13, 2026, decision of denial of his variance request by the BOA in Case Number ZV-26-15. The request for an appeal was submitted to the county on August 13, 2026.
Noticing: A public hearing notice was published in The Brunswick News on August 18, 2026. A notice was mailed on August 17, 2026, to property owners within 200 feet of the subject property, and a notice was posted on the subject property on August 17, 2026.
BACKGROUND
The property is located at 732 Ocean Blvd, in the St. Simons Beach subdivision on St. Simons Island, GA. It is an approximately 3,920 SF lot in the Resort Residential (RR) zoning district, which has a minimum lot size of 4,000 SF – a legal nonconforming lot.
Note: This property encompasses multiple variance requests. ZV-25-41 and ZV-25-49 are governed by the previous Zoning Ordinance. ZV-26-15 is governed by the new Zoning Ordinance, which became effective on July 1, 2026.
County Staff made no recommendation for approval or denial of ZV-26-15.
The BOA conducted a public hearing for Case Number ZV-26-15 at its regular meeting on August 13, 2026. The applicant and agent, Lee Swafford, requested a variance to Glynn County Zoning Ordinance, Section 6.2.7, to reduce the front and right-yard setbacks.
BOARD OF APPEALS DECISION
After conducting the public hearing for Case Number ZV-26-15 on August 13, 2026, the BOA rendered its decision on the variance request by Lee Swafford, as an applicant and agent, and Robert and Shannon Scherer, owners. The BOA denied the applicant’s request unanimously (4-1; voting aye: Eddie Wildsmith, Richard Edgy, Michael Minuteli, and Cliff Woodman; voting nay: A.J. Berry).
The August 13, 2026, public hearing for ZV-26-15 can be viewed at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93Nxhfk7898 . The case begins at the 5:44 minute mark in the video.
Please see the minutes from the August 13th BOA meeting, which are attached to this staff report for reference.
POSSIBLE ACTIONS
The Board of Commissioners may take the following actions regarding the Board of Appeals’ August 13, 2026, decision in Case Number ZV-26-15:
- Reverse the denial of Case Number ZV-26-15 by the Board of Appeals;
OR
- Affirm the denial of Case Number ZV-26-15 by the Board of Appeals.
POSSIBLE MOTIONS
- I move to reverse the denial of Case Number ZV-26-15 by the Board of Appeals;
OR
- I move to affirm the denial of Case Number ZV-26-15 by the Board of Appeals.