Plymouth BZA grants variances to ten homeowners after yard barn complaint reveals widespread violations

What began as a single neighbor complaint in the South Pointe subdivision has uncovered a widespread zoning compliance issue involving nearly 30 yard barns placed too close to property lines.

After receiving a complaint that a yard barn was encroaching on a neighboring property line — and that the barn's owner was mowing onto adjacent land — Building Commissioner Dennis Manuwal investigated and discovered that nearly 30 accessory structures in the subdivision are out of compliance with city zoning standards.

Wednesday evening, the Plymouth Board of Zoning Appeals convened to hear variance requests from eleven of those affected property owners.

Under the current zoning ordinance, structures must observe a 20-foot rear yard setback and a 10-foot side yard setback standard. The variance requests heard Wednesday evening reflected a wide range of encroachments — rear setbacks as close as 2 feet and side yard setbacks ranging from 8 feet all the way down to zero.

Each case was considered individually on its own merits, and ten variances were granted, allowing the yard barns to remain in their current locations. However, the board made clear that if any of the structures need to be replaced in the future, they must either be relocated to meet city standards, or the owner must seek a new variance at that time.

One variance request was not addressed on Wednesday evening after the applicants failed to appear at the meeting.

While some neighbors expressed frustration toward the resident who originally filed the complaint, the BZA directed blame primarily at developer Del Wentzel, who failed to ensure that property owners placed their accessory structures in accordance with city standards during development of the subdivision.

It was also noted that a few property owners have already voluntarily moved their sheds into compliance.

The Plymouth Board of Zoning Appeals is expected to hear additional variance requests from remaining affected property owners at its July meeting.