The Board of Zoning Appeals on Oct. 11 approved two dimensional variances for 735 Ritzema Court Southwest to allow a 10-foot reduction of the required 20-foot front-yard setback and to permit parking within the defined front yard for a proposed Hispanic Center community hub.

City planner Rowan explained the lot has two front yards and significant grade drop-offs to Hall Street and Godfrey Avenue, and that the building is proposed largely in the existing footprint to accommodate a drive aisle and playground area. The applicant’s design team said the site’s steep topography and the state’s playground-area requirements constrain where they can locate building footprint, parking and outdoor play space.

Matt Dixon, director of architecture at Pinnacle Construction Group, said the lot ‘‘has no such thing as flat spot’’ and that the project seeks to use the only slightly sloped area for both parking and building placement. Melissa Buffner, president of the Hispanic Center of Western Michigan, described the project as an 18,000-square-foot, three-story community hub with childcare and preschool on the first floor, workforce and talent development and a teaching kitchen on the second floor, and program offices and a legal services wing on the third floor. Buffner told the board the applicant received letters of support from the Roosevelt Park Neighborhood Association, the Grand Rapids Chamber and the Children’s Museum.

Board members reviewed the BZA standards and concluded the lot’s shape, topography and the fact that the building and parking predate current ordinance requirements constitute exceptional circumstances and practical difficulty. The board found the requested variances would not substantially harm neighboring properties and that the project aligns with the city’s Bridge to Our Future master plan character for compact, mixed-use neighborhoods.

The board approved both motions. Planning staff noted that the Planning Commission will review the project’s use, building elevations and parking design at an upcoming meeting (scheduled Oct. 9 in the staff presentation) as part of required planning review.

Ending: The applicant will proceed to Planning Commission review for site plan and use approvals; the BZA approvals allow the project to move forward with design that accommodates childcare, office and program space on the constrained lot.

Proper names: 735 Ritzema Court Southwest; Hispanic Center of Western Michigan; Pinnacle Construction Group; Roosevelt Park Neighborhood Association; Grand Rapids Chamber; Children’s Museum; Cesar Chavez Elementary School; Bridge to Our Future master plan.