Summary
The Suttons Bay Village Zoning Board of Appeals met July 9, 2025, with Chairperson Popke presiding and members Bahle, Hassevoort, Smith, and Cheadle present (quorum met). The agenda and June 11, 2025 minutes were approved 5-0. The Board completed its continued public hearing on a variance request from Michael Sanocki for property at 379 S. Shore (Parcel ID# 043-828-036-00), ultimately denying the variance application by a 5-0 vote after finding the applicant failed to meet one of the required standards.
Public Comments
Rick Andrews spoke in favor of the applicant, stating it would be feasible for the applicant to reduce impervious lot coverage to 30%. Alan Harris, identified as the applicant's neighbor, supported the proposed garage addition and expressed approval that the property would no longer be used as a short-term rental. Applicant Michael Sanocki stated he wanted to build a garage to clean up the property and install an EV charging station.
Infrastructure Projects
None discussed.
Other Business
The Board addressed a continued variance request from Michael Sanocki for an 8.33-foot variance from the required 13.33-foot front yard setback and a 7-foot variance from the required 33.33-foot Lake Michigan setback at 379 S. Shore, in the Single-Family Waterfront District. The matter had been tabled at the prior meeting pending impervious lot coverage calculations. Zoning Administrator Patmore reported the site was at 32% impervious coverage with the proposed addition and suggested removing roughly 288 square feet as a possible condition, noting any variance would need to account for the eave line with a one-foot overhang. Member Smith asked Patmore to confirm the applicant met the 30% threshold before issuing a land use permit.
Bahle moved, Hassevoort seconded, and the Board voted 5-0 to approve the General Findings of Fact, application, drawings, and zoning administrator reports from the June 11 and July 9 meetings.
Reviewing the five statutory standards, the Board found (by consensus votes of 4-1 or 5-0 depending on the criterion) that the application met standards a, b, d, and e, but did not meet standard c (that strict compliance would unreasonably prevent use of the property or be unnecessarily burdensome), with a 4-No, 1-Yes consensus. Bahle moved, Cheadle seconded, and the Board voted 5-0 to deny the variance application based on failure to meet standard c.
The next ZBA meeting was set for August 13 at 5:30 p.m. The meeting adjourned at 5:12 p.m.
Action Items
- Zoning Administrator Patmore to confirm the applicant's impervious lot coverage meets 30% prior to issuing any future land use permit (variance ultimately denied, so this applies to any revised application).
- Next ZBA meeting scheduled for August 13, 2025 at 5:30 p.m.