The Big Rapids Zoning Board of Appeals granted a variance allowing property owners at 804 and 808 Chestnut to pave a driveway approach that spans a vacated alley between the two parcels.

The applicants asked the board to allow paving beyond the standard residential driveway width so the approach would provide a finished concrete surface from curb to curb. Planning staff explained the alley had been vacated years earlier; the strip remains used as a shared two‑track access and contains utilities, including a sewer line. Staff told the board the applicant could, by right, pave to an 18‑foot width but sought a broader curb‑to‑curb approach that would cross property lines now held in private ownership.

The neighbor owners who spoke in favor described intensive use of the alley to reach rear garages and said they maintain the strip to the centerline. The applicant said prior attempts to secure a full curb cut had been difficult and that paving the approach would address an otherwise unpaved, dirt approach.

Why it matters: The paved approach will formalize a long-used driveway route and is intended to create a permanent, safer surface for vehicles serving multiple properties. Staff checked for conflicts with subsurface utilities and reported that the likely sewer segment lay outside the proposed paving but that public works would verify before construction.

The board approved the variance after receiving written permission from affected property owners and confirming neighborhood support. The motion approving the non-use variance cited sections 13.5 and 13.7 of the zoning ordinance and included a note that all involved parties signed written agreements permitting the paving. The board asked staff to confirm utility locations and work with public works before paving takes place.

The decision carries the condition that all parties consent in writing and that the applicant coordinate with public works to confirm that utility infrastructure will not be adversely impacted by the paving. No written objections were filed during the public hearing; nearby property owners who use the alley said they supported the paving to formalize an existing access route.