Warren Zoning Board approves series of variances for garages, driveways, fencing, signs and housing; driveway and signage votes split

The Zoning Board of Appeals for the City of Warren on Wednesday, July 9, approved a series of zoning variances affecting single‑family yards, commercial properties and a proposed three‑unit residential development after public hearings and board discussion.

Board members voted on eight agenda items that evening. Most requests were approved; two items produced vocal opposition from board members and a 5‑3 split on one driveway variance. The board discussed neighborhood character, long‑standing nonconforming conditions and the city’s sign and paving rules.

The most contested item concerned a homeowner’s request to retain an existing widened front‑yard hard surface at 4553 13 Mile Road (item 7). Neighbors who spoke at the meeting described the owner as a long‑time resident and said the expanded pavement has been in place for about 20 years. Opponents on the board said allowing the variance would set a citywide precedent for paving front yards on busy “mile” roads; supporters said limited alternatives exist where street parking is unsafe. The board approved the variance by a 5‑to‑3 vote.

Other approvals included: a garage addition for a property on Loretta Avenue, a 133‑foot chain‑link fence in front of a municipal building the city plans to occupy, a change of use to allow a dental lab in a C‑2 district, and variances to allow a three‑unit multifamily (R‑3) development on a commercially zoned corner lot off 11 Mile and Blackmar. Multiple commercial signage variances for two fuel/retail projects and several existing businesses also were granted; several board members said the sign requests exceeded the ordinance by large margins but voted to approve them while noting the city’s zoning code and existing legal variances complicate…