Single complaint sparks subdivision-wide shed violations in South Pointe; BZA upholds rulings

A single neighbor's complaint about a neighbor mowing around his yard shed and driving on the neighbor’s property has snowballed into a subdivision-wide zoning issue, leaving more than a dozen homeowners in Plymouth's South Pointe Subdivision facing property setback violations.

The situation began in early 2026 when Kurt McMillen lodged a complaint with the Plymouth Building Commissioner regarding a shed owned by Dennis and Margaret Emmons at 11862 Redbud Drive. The complaint alleged the structure was situated too close to the property line.

Building Commissioner Dennis Manuwal reviewed the property and confirmed the shed, which sits just two feet from the property line, was in violation of city codes. However, while inspecting the Emmons' property, Manuwal drove through the rest of the subdivision and observed numerous similar infractions.

During a Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) meeting on Monday, Plymouth Plan Director Ty Adley reported the scope of the issue. Of the 31 sheds located within the South Pointe Subdivision, only 13 currently meet setback requirements or have previously obtained a variance. The remaining 18 sheds are situated too close to the side yard, rear yard, or both.

City zoning rules stipulate that while an accessory structure (such as a yard shed) under 120 square feet does not require a building permit, it must still adhere to strict property setbacks. Currently, structures must be placed at least 10 feet from the side property line and 20 feet from the rear property line, unless a variance is granted.

Adley noted that the South Pointe subdivision was developed in four phases between 1996 and 2023. During that 27-year span, the city's rear yard setback requirement actually decreased from 25 feet to 20 feet, but many of the sheds still fail to meet the more lenient modern standard.

When the Emmons were initially notified of their violation, their neighbors, the Quissells, stepped in to help the elderly couple and filed an administrative appeal in hopes of avoiding the burden of relocating the shed. Following their lead, more than a dozen other neighbors who received violation notices also filed administrative appeals against the Building Commissioner.

However, at Monday’s BZA meeting, Adley addressed the crowd of affected residents and explained that an administrative appeal was the incorrect legal avenue. Because the Building Commissioner’s determination of the violations was factually and legally correct based on the zoning code, the Plymouth BZA voted unanimously to support Manuwal's original decisions.

Adley advised the residents in attendance on their actual options moving forward. Homeowners must now either physically relocate their sheds to comply with the 10-foot side and 20-foot rear setback requirements, or they must officially apply for a "variance of development standard."

To obtain a variance, residents will need to present their case to the board and explain specifically why their shed cannot be relocated to meet the standard setbacks. Adley emphasized that there is no blanket solution, and the board will consider each variance application individually on its own merits.