[00:00:03]
IF MANSOUR SHOWS UP, I CAN GLADLY TURN THE REINS BACK OVER TO HER.
[1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER ]
MERIDIAN ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS ON OCTOBER 15TH, 2025.I'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A QUICK ROLL CALL OF THE MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE.
SO MEMBER HERSHISER. HERE. MEMBER TREZISE. HERE.
MEMBER BROOKS. MEMBER BENOIT. I AM. MEMBER KOENIG IS HERE, AND CHAIR MANSOUR IS NOT HERE EITHER.
SO JUST THE THREE OF US. DO YOU ALL HAVE A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE AGENDA?
[2. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA ]
ANY CHANGES TO THE AGENDA? NO. MR. HERSHISER.I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS WRITTEN.
AND I'LL SUPPORT. ALL RIGHT. MOTION AND SUPPORT.
YES. MEMBER TREZISE. YES. AND VICE CHAIR VOTES YES.
[3. CORRECTIONS, APPROVAL AND RATIFICATION OF MINUTES]
SO THERE'S TWO SETS OF MINUTES HERE, ONE FROM JUNE 18TH OF 2025 AND ONE FROM JULY 16TH OF 2025.ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OR CHANGES IF NOT A MOTION TO APPROVE.
DO YOU NEED. CAN WE DO ONE MOTION OR DO YOU NEED SEPARATE MOTIONS FOR EACH ONE? KEITH YOU CAN JUST DO ONE MOTION. ONE MOTION FOR BOTH MINUTES.
OKAY. I WOULD MOVE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS PROVIDED FOR JUNE 18TH, 2025 AND JULY 16TH, 2025.
SUPPORT. ALL RIGHT. MOVED BY MEMBER TREZISE, SECONDED BY MR. HERSHISER. GO AHEAD AND DO THE ROLL CALL VOTE AS WELL ON THAT.
MEMBER HERSHISER. YES. MEMBER TREZISE. YES. VICE CHAIR KOENIG VOTES YES.
SO THE MINUTES ARE BOTH APPROVED FOR BOTH THOSE MEETINGS. BRINGS US TO COMMUNICATIONS.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANNA MENTION ABOUT THE COMMUNICATIONS? I KNOW YOU SAID WE JUST HAD THE ONE THAT WILL THAT CAME THROUGH THE EMAIL. YEAH, THAT CAME THROUGH THE EMAIL. AND WE'LL DISCUSS THAT WHEN WE GET TO THE TOPIC. OKAY. MOVING RIGHT ALONG.
[6.A. ZBA CASE NO.: 25-09 (5130 Country Drive) James & Jana Stewart, 5130 Countiy Drive, Okemos, MI 48864 ]
LOCATED AT 5130 COUNTRY DRIVE. JAMES AND JANA STEWART ARE THE APPLICANT OR THE PROPERTY OWNERS AND OR THE APPLICANTS.OKEMOS MICHIGAN 48864. MR. CHAPMAN, TAKE IT AWAY.
THANK YOU. SO THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A VARIANCE FROM SECTION 86 5651.
NO ACCESSORY BUILDING SHALL PROJECT INTO ANY FRONT YARD.
THE SITE IS APPROXIMATELY 20.3 ACRES AND IS ZONED RR RURAL RESIDENTIAL.
THE PLOT PLAN THAT WAS SUBMITTED SHOWS THE EXISTING 3398 SQUARE FOOT.
OOPS, SORRY. FAMILY HOME THAT WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1982 AND THE PROPOSED 24 BY 24 ACCESSORY BUILDING.
SO OUR ORDINANCE DOESN'T ALLOW ACCESSORY BUILDINGS TO PROJECT INTO ANY FRONT YARD.
AND THE ZONING ORDINANCE ACTUALLY DEFINES FRONT YARD AS A YARD EXTENDING ACROSS THE FRONT OF A LOT LINE BETWEEN THE SIDE LOT LINES, AND MEASURED BETWEEN THE FRONT LINE OF THE LOT AND THE NEAREST POINT OF THE MAIN BUILDING OR LAND USE.
OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAPMAN. IS THE APPLICANT OR REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE APPLICANT HAVE ANYTHING COME UP AND SAY AND SPEAK ON BEHALF? FEEL FREE IF YOU CAN. JUST PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD AND GET UP THERE.
MICROPHONE. THERE YOU GO. GOOD EVENING AND THANKS FOR HEARING OUR OUR CONCERNS.
MY WIFE, JANA, JIM STEWART, COUNTRY DRIVE. WE'VE BEEN THERE 14 GOING ON 14 YEARS.
KEITH HAS A DIAGRAM UP ON THE BOARD, AND THIS IS A DIAGRAM.
IF I COULD STEP, IF I COULD SHOW YOU THIS THIS DIAGRAM, THE HEAVY LINE WHICH GOES LEFT AND RIGHT AND REALLY RUNS EAST AND WEST, IS OUR SOUTH PROPERTY LINE, COUNTRY DRIVE, THE CUL DE SAC AT THE END OF COUNTRY DRIVE, ENDS AT OUR SOUTH PROPERTY LINE OUR DRIVEWAY EXTENDS A SHORT DISTANCE INTO OUR PROPERTY LINE, AND THEN UP ABOUT 130 YARDS AND
[00:05:02]
INTO THE TWO CAR EXISTING GARAGE. AND THERE WE HAVE A COUPLE OF EXTRA PARKING SPACES.AND YOU CAN SEE OVER HERE, THIS SMALL SQUARE AREA IS THE SITE OF THE PROPOSED TWO CAR ACCESSORY BUILDING, WHICH IS ABOUT 30FT FROM THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF THAT IS ABOUT 30FT FROM THE SOUTH PROPERTY LINE.
WE HAVE ALWAYS CALLED THIS OUR SIDE YARD. THE OUR HOME FACES DIRECTLY DUE WEST.
AND ON THIS, THIS IS A GOOGLE EARTH SHOT. YOU CAN SEE THE END OF A COUNTRY DRIVE CUL DE SAC.
YOU CAN SEE THE BEGINNING OF OUR DRIVEWAY. AND THEN IF WE CAN SCROLL UP.
THERE YOU GO. THIS IS OUR HOME, WHICH FACES DIRECTLY TO THE WEST.
THIS AREA, WHICH IS TO THE SOUTH OF OUR HOME, IS WHAT HAS BEEN CALLED THE FRONT YARD.
WE FEEL WE HAVE FELT FOR 14 YEARS THAT OUR FRONT YARD EXTENDS TO THE WEST.
AND SO OUR REQUEST IS TO BUILD THIS ACCESSORY GARAGE.
THE RED SQUARE TO USE THE EXISTING DRIVEWAY, BE A SHORT WALK TO OUR HOME.
AND SO THE VARIANCE IS TO HAVE THAT AREA BE OKAYED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TWO CAR GARAGE. HERE YOU SEE A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE CUL DE SAC AND THIS DRIVEWAY THAT YOU SEE. ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THIS PICTURE IS OUR NEAREST NEIGHBOR'S DRIVEWAY.
IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT PICTURE. THIS SHOWS THE ENTRANCE TO OUR DRIVEWAY FROM THE CUL DE SAC.
THIS IS A SURVEY WHICH WAS RECENTLY DONE BY KEV.
THIS SHOWS THE DRIVEWAY AND OUR HOME. OKAY. AND THAT'S THE LEGAL DESCRIPTION.
WE HAVE FOUR PICTURES. OR THERE MIGHT BE PICTURES ON COUNTRY DRIVE.
THERE ARE FOUR OTHER RESIDENTS THAT HAVE GARAGES, ACCESSORY BUILDINGS LOCATED ON THEIR PROPERTY. AND WE JUST WANTED TO SHOW THOSE BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE THERE IS A PRECEDENT TO BUILD AN ACCESSORY STRUCTURE, AT LEAST IN TWO OF THOSE CASES.
JUST WANTED TO ADD THOSE TO OUR DISCUSSION. OKAY.
AND THEN, MR. CHAPMAN, IF WE COULD GO TO THAT NEXT ONE.
THE FIRST VIDEO, I DIDN'T GET A VIDEO. DID YOU SEND ONE? I SENT FOUR VIDEOS. OH, FOUR ONE MINUTE VIDEOS.
I DIDN'T SEE THAT EMAIL. DO YOU THINK YOU COULD RESEND IT? THE EMAIL? BECAUSE I DIDN'T GET ONE. WELL, IT'S ON MY PHONE.
I DON'T KNOW. ONE OF THE PHOTOS WAS A VIDEO. YEAH, BUT IT WON'T PLAY.
AT LEAST NOT ON MINE. OH, IT WON'T PLAY. IT WON'T PLAY ON MY.
NO THIS ISN'T. OH, IT'S A SCREENSHOT. THOSE ARE SCREENSHOTS.
YEAH. YEAH, BUT. WELL, IT'S JUST A VIDEO OF. LET'S GO BACK TO THAT FIRST DIAGRAM.
THEN I CAN TALK THROUGH THE FIRST DIAGRAM. SO IF I SCROLL UP JUST A LITTLE BIT WHAT MY VIDEO SHOW.
AND IF YOU CAN THIS SUMMARIZE BRING THAT DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT BETWEEN OUR DRIVEWAY AND OUR NEAREST NEIGHBOR'S DRIVEWAY, YOU CAN SEE THAT OUR SOUTH PROPERTY LINE AND THERE IS A WIDTH OF DENSELY WOODED AREA, WHICH IS A BEAUTIFUL BUFFER OF WHICH IS 48 YARDS IN WIDTH FROM THE CUL DE SAC FROM THIS NEIGHBOR'S RESIDENCE.
AND FROM MY NEIGHBOR OVER HERE ON THIS SIDE OF THE CUL DE SAC, YOU CANNOT SEE THE AREA IN QUESTION.
THE PROPOSED. YOU CAN'T REALLY SEE OUR HOME. THE VIDEO WAS STARTED IN THE CUL DE SAC, WALKING UP THE DRIVEWAY AND SHOWING A COUPLE OF SHOTS THROUGH THE DENSELY WOODED AREA, WHICH YOU CANNOT SEE THROUGH EVEN NOW WHEN THE LEAVES ARE STARTING TO FALL.
[00:10:06]
YOU STILL CANNOT SEE THROUGH EITHER WAY, EITHER DIRECTION.AND YOU ALSO SEE THE 130 YARD AREA IN FRONT OF OUR HOME THAT WE CALL OUR FRONT YARD.
THIS AREA WE FEEL IS OUR SIDE YARD AND I DON'T.
I'VE BEEN TRYING TO READ AND EDUCATE MYSELF ON WHAT GOES INTO NAMING A FRONT YARD VERSUS A SIDE YARD, AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S SOMEWHAT ARBITRARY, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE COUNTRY DRIVE STOPS BEFORE YOU GET TO OUR PROPERTY.
THE CUL DE SAC IS THE END OF COUNTRY DRIVE. THERE IS NO ROAD THAT, MR. STEWART. I DON'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU. IF YOU COULD POSSIBLY. COULD YOU COME BACK TO. I'M SORRY. OKAY, THANKS. ALL RIGHT. SO.
THAT'S. THAT'S THE OTHER PART OF IT. THE FRONT OF OUR HOME, OUR FRONT DOOR, OUR FRONT PORCH.
THE FRONT ENTRANCE. ALL FACES DIRECTLY DUE WEST.
I WISH WE COULD HAVE. I WISH YOU COULD HAVE SEEN MY SHORT VIDEOS, BUT.
BUT WE HAVE YOUR PHOTOS AND ALL THAT IN THE PACKET.
SO WE SAW THE PHOTOS AND THAT YOU WERE SHOWING.
WE HAVE THAT ALL IN FRONT OF US. ALL RIGHT. DO YOU NEED TO KNOW WHY WE WANT TO BUILD THIS STRUCTURE? DOES THAT ENTER INTO YOUR DECISION? IT'S NONE OF OUR BUSINESS [LAUGHS].
NO. OKAY. WELL, THEN, DO YOU HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ME THAT I COULD ANSWER FOR YOU? THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY QUESTION. SO ANY BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? LOOKS LIKE I DON'T REALLY HAVE A QUESTION. I SNUCK OUT THERE THIS AFTERNOON AND DROVE UP YOUR DRIVEWAY AND TURNED AROUND TO LOOK AT YOUR HOUSE.
I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE. ACTUALLY, I ASK A COUPLE DIFFERENT TIMES IF SOMEONE COULD DO THAT EXACT THING, AND AND YOU'RE THE FIRST ONE TO DRIVE OUT AND LOOK AT IT.
SO YOU HAVE A VERY NARROW DRIVEWAY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE WIDTH OF IT IS.
JUST ABOUT ONE CAR. OKAY. YEAH. NO, NO, NO, BUT I WAS IT.
SINCE YOU CAN'T SEE OUT THE TREES, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO RUN INTO.
SO HE IS RIGHT. THE HOUSE IS DESCRIBED AND SHOWN ON THERE IS THE SHORT SIDE WITH THE GARAGE IS AT THE END OF THE DRIVEWAY AND THE HOUSE FACES WEST, WHICH NORMALLY WOULD BE CONSIDERED THE FRONT FACADE.
OUR DEFINITION OF FRONT YARD IS BASED ON THE STREET LOCATION AND THE HOUSE.
AND YOU'RE RIGHT, IT'S A BIT ARBITRARY, BUT IT'S THE DEFINITION WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
SO OKAY, YOUR QUESTION, I HAVE A COUPLE QUICK ONES FOR I'M SURE YOU CAN ANSWER THEM IN THE DOCUMENT.
IT SAYS THE HOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1982. CORRECT? YES. HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED THERE? SINCE 1982? THIS IS OUR 14TH YEAR. 14 YEAR. OKAY. THAT'S WHAT 14 CAME FROM.
YEAH. OKAY. OKAY. THAT'S ALL I HAD. WE ACTUALLY KNEW THE PEOPLE THAT LIVED THERE THE WHOLE TIME.
I GUESS IF YOU WANT TO CROSS THE STREET. SUSAN MCGILLICUTTY.
YEAH, YEAH YEAH, YEAH. DO YOU HAVE THAT LETTER? I DID, I GAVE IT TO THEM. OKAY. SO YOU SAW IT.
OKAY, WELL SAW IT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WE WOULD HAVE HAD OUR OTHER NEIGHBORS.
DO YOU WANT TO COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE? YOU CAN PLEASE. I KNOW, BUT THERE MIGHT BE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT ARE TRYING TO LISTEN AS WELL AND WATCH, SO. OH, GOSH, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT. YOU'RE FINE.
THANK YOU. AND WE WOULD HAVE HAD OUR OTHER NEIGHBOR.
SO. BUT WE DIDN'T THINK TO HAVE HER WRITE A LETTER.
SUE JUST OFFERED. YEAH. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE WE GO INTO BOARD TIME? OKAY. WELL, MR.. MR. STEWART, WE APPRECIATE IT. WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO BOARD TIME NOW SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS. AND IF WE HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS, WE'LL CALL YOU BACK UP TO THE PODIUM. BUT YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND TAKE A SEAT FOR NOW. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.
SO WITH THAT, AS WE GO INTO BOARD TIME, BEFORE WE GO INTO THE ACTUAL CRITERIA IS THERE ANYTHING THE BOARD MEMBERS WANT TO DISCUSS OR BRING UP, OR DO YOU WANT TO JUMP RIGHT INTO THE CRITERIA? IT'S UP TO YOU GUYS IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING. MEMBER HERSHISER. BEFORE JUMPING INTO THE CRITERIA, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT LETTER THAT THE NEIGHBOR, SUSAN MCGILLICUDDY WROTE WAS A VERY COMPELLING LETTER, EASY TO UNDERSTAND WHEN YOU GET LETTERS LIKE THAT TO ZBA.
IT'S VERY, VERY NICE. THAT IS TRUE. OKAY. WITH THAT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GO INTO THE CRITERIA.
[00:15:08]
SO THERE'S FIVE UNIQUE CRITERIA. I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE PROVIDED ANSWERS ON THAT BECAUSE THE TOWNSHIP REQUIRES THAT. AND WE GO THROUGH EACH ONE OF THOSE AND THEN HAVE A DELIBERATION.UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY THREE OF US TONIGHT WE ALL HAVE TO IN ORDER FOR THIS TO BE APPROVED, WE HAVE TO UNANIMOUSLY VOTE YES ON EACH OF THE ALL FIVE CRITERIA.
SO IF ONE OF US VOTES NO ON ONE OF THE CRITERIA, THEN IT'S GOING TO FAIL.
SO WE JUST HAVE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT. SO IT'S NOT NOTHING AGAINST YOU.
IT'S JUST THE AMOUNT OF MEMBERS THAT WE HAVE UP HERE AT THIS TIME.
BUT WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GO THROUGH HERE. SO NUMBER ONE, CRITERIA SAYS UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES EXISTS THAT ARE PECULIAR TO THE LAND OR STRUCTURE THAT ARE NOT APPLICABLE TO OTHER LAND OR STRUCTURES IN THE SAME ZONING DISTRICT.
AND THESE UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE NOT SELF-CREATED.
AND IT'S THERE ISN'T ANY OTHER PROPERTIES IN THE ENTIRE AREA THAT WOULD BE SIMILAR.
SO I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH NUMBER ONE CRITERIA.
I AGREE 100% MEMBER TREZISE. AS DO I. AS DO I.
YOU KNOW, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT THE THE, THE WAY THE MOST ZONING CODES DEFINE THEIR YARDS IS BASED ON THE FRONTAGE AND WHERE IT FRONTS THE MAIN ROAD. SO YOU HAVE A PECULIAR SITUATION WITH YOUR HOUSE FACING THE DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
SO THAT'S DEFINITELY AN INTERESTING, PECULIAR CIRCUMSTANCE.
SO I THINK WE CAN MEET CRITERIA NUMBER ONE. SO WE CAN MOVE ON TO CRITERIA NUMBER TWO.
AND CLEARLY IT WAS NOT SELF-CREATED BECAUSE THE HOUSE WAS BUILT BEFORE THEY WERE THERE.
AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO CLARIFY. THAT IS WHEN THEY MOVED IN. SO YEAH.
SO CRITERIA NUMBER TWO, STRICT INTERPRETATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF THE LITERAL TERMS AND PROVISIONS OF THIS CHAPTER WOULD RESULT IN PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES THAT WOULD PREVENT THE OWNER FROM USING THE PROPERTY FOR A PERMITTED PURPOSE.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS THERE? MEMBER TREZISE. I WOULD SAY THAT IS MET.
THIS IS WHAT 20 ACRES APPROXIMATELY AND CERTAINLY PUTTING ON A UTILITY BUILDING WOULD BE A NORMAL ACTIVITY OF A PROPERTY OWNER WOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO THAT. SO I THINK STRICT ENFORCEMENT HERE WOULD FORCE IT TO GO.
YEAH, IT'S A GOOD POINT. THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY FIRST VISUAL, STRICT INTERPRETATION WOULD FORCE THEM TO PUT THIS STRUCTURE ESSENTIALLY BEHIND THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE, WHICH MEANS NOW THEY HAVE TO ESSENTIALLY POUR MORE ASPHALT ON THAT PROPERTY AND EXTEND THE DRIVEWAY, WHICH YOU GOT WETLANDS SO CLOSE TO THIS STRUCTURE, ANYTIME YOU ADD ANY IMPERVIOUS SURFACE, YOU'RE ALWAYS OR IMPERVIOUS SURFACE, YOU'RE ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE THE CHANCE FOR MORE RUNOFF, ESSENTIALLY, STUFF GOING INTO THAT, THAT WETLANDS THAT ARE SO CLOSE. SO THAT TO ME WOULD BE A POTENTIAL PRACTICAL DIFFICULTY TO THE TO THE HOMEOWNER TO HAVE TO RECREATE A WHOLE NOTHER DRIVEWAY JUST FOR THIS ONE STRUCTURE.
I AGREE WITH BOTH OF YOUR FINDINGS ON THAT ONE.
SO WITH THAT, I BELIEVE WE CAN MEET CRITERIA NUMBER TWO. SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO CRITERIA NUMBER THREE. GRANTING THE VARIANCE IS THE MINIMUM ACTION NECESSARY, WHICH WOULD CARRY OUT THE SPIRIT OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE, SECURE PUBLIC SAFETY AND PROVIDE SUBSTANTIAL JUSTICE.
MEMBER HERSHISER. I BELIEVE THE APPLICANT MEETS THAT BARRIER.
ALSO THE PROPERTY GRANTING THE VARIANCE WILL NOT AFFECT ANY OF THE NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES, THAT'S FOR SURE. AND I THINK IF ANYTHING, IT WOULD BE AN IMPROVEMENT TO THE PROPERTY VALUE INSTEAD OF A, YOU KNOW, KNOCKING DOWN PROPERTY VALUES, WHICH IS ONE THING THAT THIS BOARD REALLY HAS TO BE CONCERNED OF IN CASES LIKE THIS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THAT MAP UP THERE AND YOU MENTIONED KIND OF THE LITTLE, THE LITTLE PIECE OF THE DRIVEWAY THAT BUMPS OUT TO THE RIGHT, JUST NORTH NORTH. I THINK IT'S NORTH. JUST NORTH OF THAT STRUCTURE IS ACTUALLY TO THE EAST.
WELL, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, AND I THINK MY WIFE WILL EXPLAIN THAT ONE.
COME ON UP, PLEASE. YEAH, WELL, THAT WAS MY DOING.
AND FOR ME, FIRST OF ALL, MOVING THAT WAS MORE EXPENSIVE, YOU KNOW, ADDING MORE EXPENSE TO IT.
[00:20:05]
FROM THEIR GARAGE MADE SENSE TO ME BECAUSE I PREFER WHEN I PULL UP A DRIVEWAY TO NOT LOOK AT THE FRONT OF THE GARAGE.I THINK LOOKING AT THE SIDE OF IT WITH LANDSCAPING AROUND IT WOULD LOOK TO ME MORE APPEALING THAN IT BEING IN THOSE PARKING AREAS. THOSE PARKING SPOTS. AND AGAIN, ALSO BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE OUR BASKETBALL HOOP IS AND WHERE WE PLAY, YOU KNOW, GAMES OUT THERE AND THINGS. AND, AND IN OUR PRELIMINARY DISCUSSION WITH THE BUILDER, WE'VE TAKEN SOME STEPS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SIDING AND THE WINDOWS AND SO FORTH OF THE GARAGE, IF ACTUALLY IT WOULD BE SITUATED SO THAT THE OPENING POINTS DIRECTLY TOWARDS OUR HOME AND YOU WOULD AS YOU COME UP THE DRIVEWAY, YOU WOULD SEE THE SIDE OF THE GARAGE AND, AND WITH THE SIDING AND WINDOWS, THE WAY WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT, IT WOULD BE AN EXACT MATCH TO THE HOUSE.
OKAY, SO SO WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT ON THAT LITTLE PIECE THAT YOU HAVE AN EXISTING BASKETBALL HOOP THERE? IT WOULD BE KIND OF AN ADDITIONAL DIFFICULTY TO PLACE THE BUILDING THERE BECAUSE THE HOOP AND YOU USE THAT FOR RECREATION.
SO THEREFORE THE LOCATION YOU PICKED IS VERY CLOSE TO THAT.
I DON'T WANT TO SAY AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE, BUT IT'S VERY CLOSE TO THAT WITHOUT.
THAT'S, THAT'S A MINIMUM ACTION VERSUS IF YOU WERE TO TRY TO SAY, OH, WE'RE GOING TO PUT THIS THING ALL THE WAY TO THE PROPERTY LINE. RIGHT, RIGHT. I DIDN'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO HOW TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
THAT'S WHY IN OUR ANSWER WE JUST PUT NOT APPLICABLE.
BUT TO YOUR POINT, IF THE GARAGE ENDS UP BEING CONSTRUCTED IN THAT PROPOSED SITE, IT WOULD REQUIRE JUST A VERY SMALL CEMENT ENTRANCE PAD INSTEAD OF A LOT OF ADDITIONAL CEMENT OR ASPHALT.
OKAY. THANK YOU. I NOTICED OUT THERE IS THAT NO DOUBT IS USED AS A BACKUP TURNAROUND SPOT.
YES. SO THAT YOU CAN GET OUT OF YOUR GARAGE RATHER THAN BACKING 130 YARDS DOWN THE STREET.
THAT'S CORRECT. YES. SO ANOTHER GOOD OBSERVATION.
YEAH. WE'RE DOING A SITE VISIT. THAT'S RIGHT.
I FIGURED, WHAT THE HECK. ALL YOU CAN DO IS SHOOT ME [LAUGHS].
DON'T TEMPT HIM. RIGHT. NO SHOTS WERE FIRED. NONE.
SO I THINK WE. I THINK WE'VE COME TO A CONCLUSION THAT WE CAN MEET CRITERIA NUMBER THREE.
I'M NOT GOING TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF YOU TOO, BUT I THINK WE'VE ALREADY ANSWERED THAT.
YOU PROBABLY WOULDN'T EVEN SEE IT UNLESS YOU'RE DRIVING UP ON THE DRIVEWAY LIKE MEMBER TREZISE DID [LAUGHS] BUT YOU MAY HAVE PEOPLE DO FOR DELIVERIES AND THAT, BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LOOK AND GO, OH, THAT'S OUT OF PLACE. SO ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON CRITERIA NUMBER FOUR? AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY. SO I THINK YOU CAN MEET CRITERIA NUMBER FOUR.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THAT ONE OR NOT QUESTIONS? I WOULD ONLY SAY THAT PART OF THE PURPOSE OF THE CHAPTER IS, AND NOT JUST THIS SECTION, BUT ZONING IN GENERAL, IS TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO DO WHAT IS APPROPRIATE ON THEIR PROPERTY AND UTILIZE IT AS THEY DESIRE TO THE EXTENT THAT THE LAWS ALLOW.
I THINK THIS COMPLIES WITH THAT AND MEETS THAT REQUIREMENT.
THEY ARE BUILDING A BUILDING THAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE LOT.
SO I THINK IT GENERALLY CONSISTENT WITH THE ACT.
MR. HERSHISER, REMEMBER CLEARLY YOU COULDN'T SAY IT'S INCONSISTENT WITH PUBLIC INTEREST.
I DON'T SEE IT AFFECTING THE PUBLIC ADVERSELY AT ALL.
AND I BELIEVE IT IN MY BELIEF, IS IT MEETS THE SPIRIT OF THE ORDINANCE.
SO, SO THAT'S SOMETHING GOOD THAT YOU HAD ON YOUR SIDE.
SO YOUR NEIGHBOR ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY. SO I BELIEVE WE CAN MEET CRITERIA NUMBER FIVE.
SO WITH THAT NO MORE QUESTIONS. DO WE HAVE A MOTION ON ZBA CASE NUMBER 25-09.
I MOVE THAT THIS BOARD APPROVE ZBA CASE 25.09 FOR 5130 COUNTRY
[00:25:10]
DRIVE. JAMES AND JANA STEWART IN OKEMOS, MICHIGAN AND GRANT THE VARIANCE THAT'S REQUESTED.I SUPPORT THAT MOTION. ALL RIGHT. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MEMBER TREZISE.
AND SUPPORTED BY MEMBER HERSHISER. SO ONLY THREE OF US HERE.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE A ROLL CALL. VOTE. MEMBER HERSHISER.
THIS IS TO APPROVE THE VARIANCE OF 25-09. YES.
MEMBER TREZISE. YES. AND VICE CHAIR VOTES YES.
SO IF YOU ARE APPROVED. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANKS. APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. YOU DID A VERY NICE JOB PRESENTING YOUR REQUEST.
THANK YOU. MADE IT EASIER TO DO. MEMBER HERSHISER.
I ALSO WANT TO SAY YOU DID A VERY NICE JOB ON YOUR WRITE UP FOR YOUR CRITERIA.
SO WE GET THAT A LOT OF TIMES AND IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND.
AND MOST OF THE TIME IT'S DONE BY ATTORNEYS. HEY HEY [LAUGHS].
IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND THE REPLIES BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND THE QUESTIONS, THE CRITERIA. SOME OF THEM ARE VERY GRAY, AS THIS BOARD HAS SEEN. TRYING TO ANSWER SOME OF THOSE.
IT'S TOUGH. GREAT JOB. WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND YOUR INTEREST.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANKS FOR COMING.
OKAY. GO AHEAD. SINCE WE'VE BEEN GRANTED THE VARIANCE WHAT DO WE TELL OUR BUILDER IS? I'LL TALK. I'LL. YEAH, WE'LL TAKE CARE OF THAT.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AGAIN, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.
ALSO. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. HAVE A GOOD EVENING.
GOOD NIGHT. ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON. OTHER BUSINESS.
I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANY OTHER BUSINESS. SO THAT MOVES US ON TO PUBLIC REMARKS.
ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC WANT TO COME SAY ANYTHING? OH. IS THERE A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC? WANT TO COME SAY SOMETHING? YOU GOT TO GO TO THE MICROPHONE. NO. UP THERE.
MICROPHONE UP THERE. SO YOU GOT TO SAY YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
HE GOES DOWN. NO. WHAT'S YOUR NAME? WHAT'S YOUR NAME? SAY MY NAME IS RILEY. MY NAME'S RILEY. SAY OH, MOM, YOU CAN SAY IT FOR HIM IF HE CAN'T SAY IT.
SAY MY NAME IS RILEY KOENIG. YEAH, YOU CAN SAY NO.
SO SAY YOUR NAME. SAY IT. THAT'S THE MICROPHONE.
YOU'RE NOT THE SHY AT HOME. MY NAME'S [INAUDIBLE].
ARE YOU DONE? WHAT? OKAY. SO WAS THAT. NO PUBLIC COMMENT? NO PUBLIC COMMENT. NO PUBLIC REMARKS. OKAY. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS.
WELL, MR. KOENIG, IT WAS NICE TO SEE YOU TONIGHT.
PLEASANT TO HAVE YOU HERE. HE'S LIKE, I'M GOING BACK TO PLAYING VIDEO GAMES.
YEP. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS. NOTHING. WELL, I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT ALEXIA DIDN'T SHOW UP. I'M GOING TO HAVE TO TELL HER WE RUN THESE MEETINGS SMOOTH WITHOUT HER, SO SHE'LL BE MAD AT ME FOR SAYING [LAUGHS] I'M KIDDING.
WITH THAT NO OTHER COMMENTS. WE CAN BE ADJOURNED AT 7:04.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.