Summary
The Suttons Bay Village Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) prepared to meet January 14, 2026 to hold two public hearings involving zoning ordinance interpretation requests and related dimensional variances: one from Robert and McKenzi Barnes (324 N. St. Mary's Street) regarding driveway width, and one from Inland Seas Education Association (101 E. Dame Street) regarding setback and building frontage requirements. The packet also included minutes from the prior ZBA meeting of August 13, 2025, at which Chairperson Popke presided over routine agenda and minutes approvals with no substantive business.
Public Comments
Marie Porter, owner of the adjacent property at 322 N. St. Mary's Ave., submitted a written letter dated November 10, 2025 opposing the Barnes variance request. She argued the Barnes had already built the driveway before seeking a variance, that none of the Barnes' comparison photos involved properties abutting another owner's land, and that construction had damaged her property—removing and breaking her survey stakes and disturbing an established hedge. She contended the Barnes failed to meet Standards A, B, C, D, and E required for a dimensional variance, and requested that if a variance were granted, conditions be imposed such as a privacy fence or an unbendable cement property-line marker. Porter separately forwarded an earlier email (September 11, 2025) regarding a property line dispute.
For the Inland Seas Education Association request, the Zoning Administrator's staff report noted that public comment received during Planning Commission review had been supportive of the project, and that as of January 9, 2026, no written public comment had been received on the ZBA variance request itself.
Other Business
Barnes/324 N. St. Mary's Street: The applicants requested a ZBA interpretation of Section 2-4.D.4.b of the Zoning Ordinance as to whether the 12-foot maximum driveway width applies to driveways accessed from an alley (their garage driveway) rather than only front/side yards. Depending on that interpretation, they sought a variance to build an 18-foot wide driveway (a 6-foot variance) instead of the DPW-imposed 12-foot limit. The Zoning Administrator's interpretation was that Section 2-4.D.4.b does not apply to alley driveways, but the DPW had separately required 12 feet. Village attorney Brad Wierda's memorandum noted the appeal was filed August 11, 2025, more than four months after the March 7, 2025 permit decision, meaning the ZBA could not hear it as an administrative appeal, only as an interpretation/variance matter, and laid out arguments for and against each interpretation and each of the five variance standards.
Inland Seas Education Association/101 & 100 Dame Street: The applicant requested an interpretation of whether Dame Street should be classified as a "Side Street" or an "Alley" under Figure 5-1 of the Zoning Ordinance, affecting build-to/setback rules. Depending on the outcome, variances were requested for a 10-foot minimum building setback along Dame Street, a 0-foot parking setback, and removal of the 50% building frontage requirement, to accommodate a 353-square-foot stairway addition to the non-conforming Millside Building. The Planning Commission had approved the related site plan on December 17, 2025 with conditions including ZBA approval of the build-to/setback variance. The Zoning Administrator's staff report recommended treating Dame Street as a Side Street.
Action Items
The ZBA was to render interpretation decisions and, if triggered, make findings on all five dimensional variance standards for both the Barnes and Inland Seas applications at the January 14, 2026 hearing, and to prepare an official record and findings of fact per Ordinance Section 17-9. Marie Porter's dispute with the Barnes over property line damage and precedent for the variance represents an active point of conflict the Board needed to address, including her request for conditions (privacy fence or permanent marker) if any variance were granted.