Eaton County board approves variance allowing Dixons to split Vermontville parcel

The Eaton County Board of Appeals approved a variance known as VA 8-25-3 on a majority roll-call vote, allowing Joseph and Lisa Dixon to divide a 13.33-acre property at 5511 Allegan Road in Section 14 of Vermontville Township.

Brandy, the county staff member who presented the case, summarized the request: the Dixons propose a 3-acre Parcel B for their daughter and a remaining Parcel A that would exceed 10 acres. The applicants sought a variance from the county zoning ordinance's 1-to-3 width-to-depth requirement (zoning ordinance section 6.2.0.5) because the Eaton County Road Commission would not issue a driveway permit for the originally proposed flag lot (site plan 1). "There is not sufficient site distance at the west side of their parcel to meet the Eaton County Road Commission permit policy," Brandy said, adding that the Road Commission had "no objection to the variance approval for site plan number 2."

During board questions, staff clarified a site-plan discrepancy: the site plan showed Parcel A as 9.96 acres but county calculations and assessor records show the overall property is 13.33 acres and the proposed Parcel B is 3 acres, leaving Parcel A just over 10 acres if split. Staff also noted that properties with soils characterized as essential cropland are limited by local ordinance to a 1-to-3 ratio, stricter than the Michigan Land Division Act (1967), which sets a 4-to-1 ratio for larger parcels. Brandy said the 3-to-1 local standard was adopted in Eaton County to preserve farmland.

A member of the public, Derek, spoke in support of the Dixons: "I'm speaking on behalf of the Dixons ... Just trying to get this approved so that we can build a house for my wife, the Dixons' daughter and continue our family in the Vermontville area."

In deliberations board members weighed whether the difficulty was self-created and whether the request met the five variance criteria. One member argued the permitting restriction with the Road Commission and site distance constituted a practical difficulty tied to unique property circumstances. A motion to approve was made, stating that the practical difficulty "is related directly to permitting requirements with the Eaton County Road Commission and site distance" and that the requested 147.29 feet was the minimum necessary to address the inequity. The formal motion language noted the parcel's shape dated to its creation in the 1970s.

The clerk conducted a roll-call vote. Recorded votes were: Tim Catron — Yes; Rob Cook — Yes; Jeremy Cleary — No; Mark Stahl — Yes; Donald Chase — Yes. The motion passed by majority vote and the variance was approved.

Next steps: the board's approval grants the requested variance for the proposed site plan (site plan 2) subject to any conditions the county applies; staff will proceed in accordance with county procedures for implementing the variance.