ZBA approves pool and equipment variances for 63 Scenic Oaks Drive

The Bloomfield Hills Zoning Board of Appeals approved variances allowing a homeowner at 63 Scenic Oaks Drive to place a swimming pool and associated equipment inside required setback areas.

Ian Hogue of Giffis Webster presented the proposal, telling the board the pool would sit in the rear yard within the 100‑foot rear setback and the pool equipment would encroach into the 40‑foot side‑yard setback. Hogue said the plan includes a boxwood hedge and multiple trees to screen the pool and that the Scenic Oaks homeowners association had provided a letter of support. “The proposed plan did receive approval from the Scenic Oaks HOA,” Hogue said.

Leah Michaels reviewed engineering and drainage, describing a swale and a leaching basin intended to keep runoff on site. Michaels said the applicant supplies engineering calculations for the leaching basin and staff reviews them to ensure they accommodate new impervious area. On screening and noise, applicant representative Matt Mosier said the pool equipment would be sited next to existing air conditioners on a wooded lot and would be comparable in decibels to a modern air conditioner.

Board members asked about distances to neighboring structures, pool fencing and noise. Mosier noted the proposal aligns with a prior ZBA approval for a pool on the property and that the team reduced the request to a 61‑foot setback to match that earlier approval.

After discussion and the staff recommendation on findings of practical difficulty, a board member moved to approve variances from the listed zoning sections to allow the pool and to permit pool equipment to encroach 26 feet 9 inches into the required 40‑foot setback. The motion was seconded and approved on a voice vote.

Next steps: the applicant may proceed with permits consistent with the approved variances and the submitted drainage and screening plans.