Key West Planning Board Meets Thursday; Harris Avenue Variance Faces Another Delay

The delayed Harris Avenue variance involves a home owned by former Chief Building Official Raj Ramsingh, whose tenure ended amid the FBI’s Bubba Bozo Trio corruption probe.

City staff is recommending that an after-the-fact variance for the property at 2827 Harris Avenue, owned by felony-indicted former CBO Raj Ramsingh be postponed until December, but ultimately be denied. / COKW

The Key West Planning Board meets Thursday evening with a full agenda of land-use requests, but the most scrutinized case — an after-the-fact variance for a home at 2827 Harris Avenue, owned by former Chief Building Official Raj Ramsingh — is not expected to be postponed.

City staff is recommending denial, and although the applicant has asked to postpone the case until December, the board could still elect to hear it Thursday and issue a ruling contrary to staff’s recommendation. The meeting begins at 5 p.m. at City Hall, 1300 White Street, and will be broadcast live on the City of Key West’s website. For some reason, as of post time, eComment was not available for residents.

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Item No. 3: Staff report finds non-compliance on major criteria, recommends denial of Ramsingh variance.

According to the planning package, the application seeks an after-the-fact variance to allow building coverage to exceed the 35% maximum permitted in the Single-Family (SF) zoning district in order to keep a newly constructed second ingress/egress off the home’s front porch. The property already has an existing porch entry, and the second ingress/egress — built without approval — pushed the property’s building coverage from 42.1% to 45.5%, well above the permitted limit.

Planning staff notes that the applicant claims the additional ingress/egress was needed for flood-plain elevation, but the justification was not supported with specific conditions unique to the property. Staff also notes that the owner previously received a front-yard setback and building-coverage variance under Resolution 2115, and that additional expansion increases the site’s overall nonconformity.

Dimensional breakdown (staff report)

• Maximum building coverage allowed: 35%

• Existing: 42.1% (2,122 sq. ft.)

• Proposed: 45.5% (2,291 sq. ft.)

• Variance required: Yes

• Impervious surface: 3.7% existing; 70% allowed — no change

• Lot size: 5,034.72 sq. ft. (below 6,000 sq. ft. minimum but existing condition)

Staff findings: Five of seven variance criteria not in compliance

Planning staff evaluated the proposal under Section 90-395, concluding that the application fails to meet the required findings for:

1. Special conditions/circumstances — applicant did not identify any unique hardship.

2. Conditions not created by applicant — staff concludes the applicant created the condition by expanding the home to five bedrooms.

3. No special privilege conferred — staff says approval would improperly expand an existing nonconformity.

4. Hardship — denial would not deprive the applicant of rights enjoyed by others.

5. Minimum variance — request is not the minimum needed for reasonable use.
   Only items 6 and 7 (public welfare and nonconforming uses) were found in compliance.

Recommendation: Denial

Staff concludes the applicant did not satisfy the required standards and formally recommends that the Planning Board deny the after-the-fact variance.

Despite denial recommendation, the case may still be delayed

The applicant, represented by planner Owen Trepanier, has requested the item be postponed until December — the second continuation since October. The board historically grants such requests, but members retain full discretion to hear the case and vote Thursday, regardless of the applicant’s request for postponement.

Other Postponements Expected

Several other items on Thursday’s agenda are also slated for postponement, including:

• 1208 Virginia Street — pool setback and open-space variances.

• 906 Packer Street — setback relief for a second-story addition.

• 626 Samaritan Lane — addition over existing structure in HRO district.

• Mallory Square zoning and Comprehensive Plan amendments — delayed by staff.

Green Building Ordinance Returns

A major ordinance creating the city’s first Green Building program is expected to advance after three prior postponements. The proposal would require qualifying projects to meet a certification threshold or pay a fee into the Adaptation and Sustainability Fund (Fund 108).

Active Cases Expected to Proceed

• 1600 Bahama Drive — multiple variances for demolition and reconstruction of an elevated single-family home.

• 417 Simonton Street — rear and side setback reductions to rebuild an addition in the HNC-1 district.

Board to Review 2026 Calendar, Fee Schedule

Board members will also consider approval of the 2026 Planning Board meeting dates and review the FY26 Planning Department fee schedule.

Public Participation

The meeting is open to the public, and residents may submit written comments in advance. The full meeting will be streamed live on the City of Key West’s website for remote viewers.