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CITY OF MUSKEGON
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
April 8, 2025
Chairman Taylor called the meeting to order at 4:06 p.m., and roll was taken.
MEMBERS PRESENT: V. Taylor, R. King, D. Crockett, and J. Hite
MEMBERS ABSENT: M. Gallavin, J. Montgomery-Keast, and W. German
STAFF PRESENT: J. Pesch, S. Romine
OTHERS PRESENT: None.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A motion that the minutes of the regular meeting of February 11, 2025, be approved was made by D.
Crockett, supported by R. King, and unanimously approved.
NEW BUSINESS:
None.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Hearing, Case 2025-03: Request for a variance from Section 2316 of the zoning ordinance to allow a
parking area in the front yard at 3300 Lakeshore Drive.
SUMMARY
1. The property at 3300 Lakeshore Dr was recently split, but the official zoning maps do not yet show
the new lot boundaries. The new lot contains the garage while the original lot contains the house.
The zoning map and aerial map on the following page show the approximate lot split.
2. The property is zoned R, Neighborhood Residential.
3. Section 2316 of the zoning ordinance states, “Residential parking areas for boats, trailers, motor
vehicles, and recreation equipment shall not be located in any front yard. This section shall not
prohibit direct access drive parking of automobiles on paved, established driveways.”
4. The applicant is proposing an extension of the driveway to the west, which would be considered
front-yard parking. Please see the site plan that was denied on the following pages.
5. There does appear to be enough room behind the front of the house to install a “hammer head”
turnaround. This could be placed anywhere in the gray area on the denied site plan without the
need for a variance. Also, the area to the west of the garage (where the red trailer is visible in the
photo below) could be paved for additional parking.
6. Notification was sent to every property within 300 feet of this address. At the time of this writing,
staff had not received any public comments.
MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING
A motion to close the public hearing was made by D. Crockett, supported by R. King, and unanimously
approved.
VARIANCE REVIEW STANDARDS
Questions to consider when reviewing a variance request:
a. Are there exceptional or extraordinary circumstances or conditions applying to the property in
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question or to the intended use of the property that do not apply generally to other properties
or classes of uses in the same zoning district?
b. Is the dimensional variance necessary for the preservation and enjoyment of a substantial
property right possessed by other properties in the same zoning district and in the vicinity?
c. Will the authorizing of such dimensional variance be of substantial detriment to adjacent
properties?
d. Is the alleged difficulty caused by the ordinance and not by any person presently having an
interest in the property, or by any previous owner?
e. Is the alleged difficulty founded solely upon the opportunity to make the property more
profitable or to reduce expense to the owner?
f. Is the requested variance the minimum action required to eliminate the difficulty?
DETERMINATION
A motion was made by V. Taylor, supported by J. Hite, that the request for a variance from Section 2316
of the zoning ordinance to allow a parking area in the front yard at 3300 Lakeshore Drive be approved
based on the review standards in Section 2502 of the Zoning Ordinance.
ROLL CALL VOTE
V. Taylor: No J. Hite: No D. Crockett: No
R. King: No
MOTION PASSES
OLD BUSINESS
None
OTHER
None
ADJOURN
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 4:26 p.m.
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