Burton zoning board denies variance for Vineland Avenue accessory structure, gives owner until Sept. 1 to relocate

The Burton Zoning Board of Appeals voted 7-0 Thursday to deny a variance request from Robin Brown that would have allowed an accessory structure to remain in the front yard at 3110 Vineland Avenue.

City staff told the board that the administration does not recommend approval because the applicant had not demonstrated a legally cognizable hardship and the structure conflicts with accessory-structure rules in Burton’s zoning ordinance. The board’s motion to deny included an addendum giving Brown until Sept. 1 to remove or relocate the structure and directed staff to help the applicant with permitting options.

The variance, filed as ZBA23-21, sought to permit an 18-by-21-foot structure the applicant said was placed in the front driveway in 2017. Brown told the board she was told at the time the building was not permanent and did not require a permit; she later obtained a permit in 2023 for a separate backyard structure. Brown said relocating the front structure…