Board approves 40-by-60 accessory building for personal storage on two-acre lot

The zoning board approved a variance allowing a 40-by-60 accessory structure at 1316 North 375 East in Pike Township, on a two-acre parcel, after the applicant said the building would be used for personal vehicle and equipment storage.

Applicant Mike Delgree told the board he planned the building to store a classic car, snowmobiles and recreational equipment and said he would not run a business from the site. Board members asked whether the building would be used for commercial activity; the applicant repeatedly said it would not. Staff and the board said they would require a signed document barring commercial use as part of the approval.

The board closed the public hearing after no members of the public spoke in opposition. The board moved to approve the variance with the requirement that the applicant sign a statement that the building would be used only for personal storage; staff also clarified that building dimensions, height limits (not to exceed 20 feet), and color/appearance would be conditioned by the permit and county code. The applicant was told to contact staff for permit pickup and to sign the required documentation.

Board members and staff discussed the wider concern of shipping containers and outdoor storage visibility in the township and noted an ordinance was being developed to address some of those issues. The transcript reflects that code enforcement and an online complaint system were available to address suspected illegal commercial uses of accessory structures.

No formal roll-call vote was recorded in the transcript; the record shows a board motion to approve followed by an approval statement and administrative instructions to the applicant.