Durm seeks historic property line adjustment

3:12 p.m. June 4, 2025

Durm seeks historic property line adjustment

DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher•Editor

On Tuesday, June 3, Tim Durm requested from the Planning and Zoning Commission approval to adjust the lot line between two adjacent parcels he owns – 265 Main St. and 275 Main St. – near the historic Lynchburg Square. The issue arises from a bathroom addition that now crosses the boundary line between the two lots, leading to a zoning conflict.

Durm explained to the board that the structure in question – the Crutcher House at 275 Main St. – originally was Dr. Ezekiel Young Salmon’s medical office, built in 1890, and later sold to Mary Bobo, who converted it into a residence for her daughter in 1933. Durm recently added a bathroom to the rear of the building, inadvertently encroaching onto the neighboring parcel that he also owns. With plans to sell one of the parcels, he now seeks to officially move the lot line approximately 12 feet to resolve the issue.

Planning officials expressed understanding of the situation but stated they could not approve the request without clear documentation. “It sounds easy, but it would be nice to see something,” Board chairman Dexter Golden said, referencing the lack of a current survey. The board emphasized that decisions must be based on measurable data and zoning requirements, including the standard 10-foot setback on each side of the property line.

Durm acknowledged that the building originally sat on a zero-lot line and questioned why he couldn’t simply adjust the property line between the two parcels he already owns. Board member Scott Fruehauf explained that while the existing nonconformance may be “grandfathered in,” approving another nonconforming change would require action by the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA).

“It’s not our place to approve that,” Fruehauf said. “That’s why we have a BZA – to review requests that deviate from the code.”

Durm was advised to appear before the BZA, which meets on the third Tuesday of every month. He was also encouraged to obtain a current survey of the lots that shows the proposed property line adjustment and all existing structures, which would strengthen his case before the appeals board.

Despite the procedural hurdles, Golden expressed optimism about the outcome. “I don’t think it’ll be a problem. These buildings have been here forever. There’s no new construction – just a shift in paperwork.”