Zoning Board of Appeals

Michigan Zoning Enabling Act (2006 PA 110 MCL 125.3101 et seq.) states the duties and responsibilities of the Zoning Board of Appeals is to exercise three basic roles or functions. These include: (1) Interpreting the ordinance (text and map); (2) Deciding appeals from administrative decisions; and, (3) Granting variances (use and nonuse).

The terms appeal and variance are often used interchangeably, but in fact are two entirely different concepts.
• A variance, if granted, allows a departure from a particular requirement of the zoning ordinance.
• An appeal is based on the fact that someone has made a decision related to the zoning ordinance, and another person disagrees with that decision.