Word of the Day
September 2, 2025
Variance
An official exemption from a rule, regulation, or law; in zoning, a permitted deviation from building or land use requirements.
From Latin 'variantia', meaning difference or deviation, derived from 'variare' meaning to change or alter.
Usage Examples
- The bakery owners requested a temporary variance to live on-site while establishing their business.
- Jefferson County grants variances to large developers but denied one to immigrant entrepreneurs.
- A two-year variance would have allowed the Dauphour family to make their French bakery sustainable.
From the Show
The concept of variance dominated the September 2nd discussion as Helen Raleigh detailed how Jefferson County refused to grant French immigrant bakers even a temporary exemption from commercial zoning rules, forcing them to choose between abandoning their on-site residence or closing their beloved bakery.