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Zeeland Zoning Board denies variance for attached garage at 113 S. Centennial Street
Summary
The Zoning Board of Appeals on April 21 denied a request to build an attached garage and breezeway at 113 S. Centennial Street, citing ordinance setback requirements and finding alternatives (a detached garage) feasible; the motion failed on a 1–4 vote.
Zeeland — The City of Zeeland Zoning Board of Appeals denied a dimensional (non-use) variance request on April 21 for 113 S. Centennial Street, rejecting a proposal to attach a breezeway and single-stall garage to the existing home.
The board’s decision followed staff review showing the R‑1 interior lot measures about 56.6 feet wide and 106 feet deep (6,012 square feet), below the R‑1 district minimums. Zoning Administrator Timothy Maday told members the proposed attached garage would sit 2 feet from the side property line where 3 feet is required and would not meet the 25‑foot rear-yard setback, producing the need for a one‑foot side‑yard variance and additional rear‑yard relief. Maday referenced Section 3.201(8) of the Zeeland City Code (narrow lot provision), noting the proposed connector meets the 7‑foot side‑yard standard for narrow lots but the attached garage does not.
Jim DeWitt, representing the applicant, said the existing detached garage is too small to accommodate the family’s sedan and that moving the driveway or relocating the air‑conditioning unit to place the garage on the north side would be cost‑prohibitive. He said shifting the building or placing a detached garage at the rear would remove valued trees and reduce outdoor seating area for the household.
Board members evaluated the six criteria in Sec. 2.205C for dimensional variances, debating whether the parcel’s nonconforming size and placement of the house created practical difficulty and whether granting a variance would alter neighborhood character. Paul DeBoer moved to approve the variance (Motion 2026.02), listing findings that included the lot’s unusual dimensions, lack of financial motive, and no anticipated harm to neighbors. The motion was supported by Vice Chair Dave Stegink.
The roll call produced one aye (DeBoer) and four nays (Linda Mergener, Dave Stegink, Chair Scott Bartolomei, and Lara Kovacs). The motion failed. After the vote, Chair Bartolomei told the applicant that "the option to construct a detached garage remains available without the need for a variance," and staff recommended the applicant consider building a detached garage set three feet from the lot line.
No members of the public appeared in opposition, and staff noted a petition of support from adjacent property owners. The board also recorded that two trees not shown on the submitted drawing occupy the area where a reoriented garage might be placed.
The board’s action leaves the applicant able to pursue a detached garage that complies with current setback standards or revise plans and reapply. The Zoning Board of Appeals then approved the February 17, 2026 meeting minutes and adjourned at 7:12 p.m.
