Scottville ZBA denies variance for top blighted home.

206 N. Columbia Street.

By Rob Alway. Editor-in-Chief.

SCOTTVILLE — The Scottville City Commission, acting as the city’s Zoning Board of Appeals, denied a property owner’s request for a variance Monday during the commission’s regular meeting.

William Schoenlein, owner of Lake Star Group, LLC, requested the city grant him a variance because the garage he would like to build at 206 N. Columbia Street, is larger than the existing slab of concrete, where a previous garage was once located.

“The reason for the Variance is the existing slab does not meet the side yard set-back on the south side of the property,” City Manager Amy Williams said. “Per our set-backs we require a minimum of 5 feet on each side with the two sides together totaling at least 12 feet.  Currently there is just a little over 4 feet between the property line and the existing concrete slab on the south.  There is not an issue getting the required side yard set-back to the north with the proposed garage.”

Schoenlein said during the public hearing that he wanted to build the garage to store building supplies in it. The house that sits on that property has been boarded up for years and is one of the city commission’s top 2 houses that are considered the worst violators of the city’s blight ordinances. City Commissioner Marcie Spencer stated that the city would like to see the home torn down.

Twenty-three residents signed a petition asking the ZBA deny the variance grant and also condemn the structure and tear it down.