The Pine River Township Zoning Board of Appeals consists of five members who are approved by the Township Board of Trustees. One member of the Planning Commission participates as a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals. The Zoning Board of Appeals meets only as-needed at the Township Hall generally at 7:00 pm.
All communities with an adopted Zoning Ordinance are required to have a Board of Appeals to provide relief for properties that cannot adhere to specific requirements of the zoning ordinance.
The Zoning Board of Appeals has the quasi-judicial function of interpreting the zoning ordinance to ensure that it has or will be properly followed. The basic responsibilities of the Zoning Board of Appeals include the following:
The Zoning Board of Appeals has the responsibility to hear and decide on any decision or determination of an official or body charged with the administration of the Zoning Ordinance. The administration of the ordinance typically falls under the jurisdiction of the Planning Commission, or the Enforcement Officer.
A variance is official permission to deviate from a requirement of the Zoning Ordinance. The authority to grant a variance is discretionary. The Zoning Ordinance contains standards for the Board to consider in evaluating the appropriateness of variance requests. The most common variance is a dimensional or non-use variance. These typically pertain to buildings and structures that cannot be constructed in the location required by the ordinance or that certain other requirements cannot be met. Common dimensional variance requests include building setbacks, building height, lot coverage requirements, parking standards, signs, and accessory building requirements, among others.
Requests for ordinance interpretations may result from undefined or ambiguous terms or poorly defined standards, lack of clarity concerning the location of a zoning district boundary or other similar matters. The Zoning Board of Appeals is the only local body authorized to render “official” interpretations of the zoning map text or map.
The Zoning Board of Appeals may approve temporary structures for periods not to exceed six months. They may also approve temporary uses not otherwise permitted in any zoning district and which do not require the erection of any capital improvement of a structural nature.
Members of the Pine River Township Zoning Board of Appeals Serve 3 Year Terms
Name
Jason Biehl
Garrett Whitmore
Michael Bessert
Victor Peckinpaugh
David Best
Term End Date
12/2023
12/2024
12/2024
12/2025
12/2025
