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Zoning board denies applicant's request to exceed accessory‑building height limit
Summary
Bay City zoning board denied a variance requested by Kevin Bellhorn that would have raised the midpoint height of a backyard accessory building from 14 feet to about 16 feet, citing self‑creation and neighborhood character concerns; the denial was unanimous.
Kevin Bellhorn asked the Bay City Zoning Board of Appeals for a dimensional variance to allow a detached accessory building with a roof midpoint of roughly 16 feet where the code limits midpoint height to 14 feet.
Bellhorn said the extra interior height would provide storage and workspace for vehicle and mechanical work he intends to carry out as a hobby ("working on automobiles, trucks," he said). Commissioners weighed options — including building techniques that could increase usable attic space under the 14‑foot midpoint limit — and questioned whether the need for relief was self‑created.
One commissioner summarized the board’s concern: that the need for the variance arose from the applicant’s earlier choice to alter his primary garage (creating a drive‑through) and that granting the requested height could set a precedent allowing larger midpoints in the neighborhood. Multiple board members described the request as self‑created and expressed worry about changing the character of a primarily one‑ and one‑and‑a‑half‑story neighborhood.
After deliberation, a motion to deny the case (Z2604) was made and seconded; the board voted 4–0 to deny the request. Commissioners directed the applicant to meet with planning staff to consider alternatives (for example, different roof framing or a changed footprint) and to revise or resubmit an application if he wishes.
Outcome: Denial recorded by roll call vote (all four members present voted in favor of denial).
