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Zoning board approves deck variances for Elizabeth Lake Road property to improve accessibility
Summary
The Zoning Board of Appeals approved variances to reconstruct and raise a deck at 7785 Elizabeth Lake Rd to improve access for the homeowner; board members emphasized the deck must not encroach on a neighbor's property and approved the variances 7-0.
The Waterford Township Zoning Board of Appeals voted unanimously (7-0) on March 17 to approve variances requested by Renee Bussey to remove and reconstruct an existing deck at 7785 Elizabeth Lake Road, including relief from side-yard and lakefront setback requirements so the new deck would maintain the same general footprint and be raised about 16 inches to eliminate a tripping hazard and improve mobility.
Contractor Patrick Duffy told the board that the original intent had been to resurface the deck but, because of the homeowner's mobility issues, they sought to eliminate steps between the house and deck. "They were wanting to eliminate the need for the steps down from the house to the deck to be safer," Duffy said. He also noted uncertainty about the exact property line, saying the existing fence had been thought to mark the line and that the survey showed otherwise; the board reiterated it cannot permit construction that extends onto a neighbor's property.
Staff said the existing deck crosses a side property line according to the survey and that the proposed new deck will be reduced so it does not extend beyond the side property line while maintaining the same distance to the shoreline as the existing structure. The applicant also plans to remove a timber seawall and replace it with stone riprap. Todd Hoffman moved to approve the variances and Sue Camilleri supported; the motion carried unanimously by roll call (7-0).
