Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Zoning Variance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Sheboygan zoning board approves variance for addition at 1718 North 5th Street
Summary
The Sheboygan City Zoning Board of Appeals on Dec. 17 approved a variance allowing an owner to build a side addition at 1718 North 5th Street, passing the motion 3–1 despite a staff recommendation against the request for lack of demonstrated hardship.
The Sheboygan City Zoning Board of Appeals voted 3–1 on Dec. 17 to approve a variance that will allow an addition on the side of a house at 1718 North 5th Street.
The applicants, identified in the application as Jacob and Lisa Kepsel, requested relief from the city's aggregate side-yard setback requirement in order to add an entrance/mudroom and basement access that they said would extend roughly 6 feet from the side of the house. "We're looking at going off the side of the house about 6 feet, to create an entrance to the house with a mudroom and ... the entrance to the basement," said the applicant who spoke to the board (Unidentified Speaker 5).
City transportation staff told the board the ordinance requires a 5-foot setback on each side and an aggregate of 15 feet for both sides combined. "Right now they're requesting an aggregate setback of 10.82 feet," said Unidentified Speaker 6, the city staff member, adding the applicants would therefore need about four more feet to meet the code. Staff said they could not recommend approval because the application did not demonstrate a unique property hardship.
Applicants and board members debated whether the lot's historic layout and a neighbor's prior purchase of a small strip of land that removed earlier space for a garage created a hardship. An applicant (Unidentified Speaker 7) described household needs and safety concerns: "We have 3 kiddos and we don't ... have any sort of like mudroom or reasonable entryway off of our driveway," the speaker said, also noting increased traffic near nearby Grant School during school arrival and dismissal times.
Several board members said a smaller addition moved in line with the existing house could likely meet the 15-foot aggregate requirement but would reduce usable square footage and alter the entrance orientation. The applicants said they were foregoing a garage and seeking this addition to improve daily access and storage.
After discussion, a board member moved to approve the variance "as presented"; a second followed and the motion passed 3–1. The board's presiding officer instructed the applicants to secure all required city permits and approvals before beginning work.
The board confirmed its next meeting for Jan. 21, 2026, and adjourned the Dec. 17 session.
