MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - During the recent Zoning Board of Appeals meeting MF Okemos, LLC requested four variances for the commercial property their redeveloping located at 2049 Grand River Avenue. This property was formally a Good Year Tire Store.

The variances included:
1. A request to provide less than the required number of off-street parking spaces.
2. Provide landscape buffers that do not meet the 15-foot width (east and west sides of the site.)
3. Exceed the maximum allowed impervious surface coverage of the site
4. Eliminate a loading/ unloading space for the proposed multi-tenant retail building.

The Zoning Board took their time and discussed each variance before taking a vote. One in particular that stuck up lots of conversation was eliminating the loading and unloading space. As of now they're two proposed business the will occupy that property; A Jimmy John's with a drive-thru and a mattress store.

Some members felt eliminating the dock would be unfair to future tenants of that property, while others views the dock as unnecessary overbuilding.

Chair member Brian Beauchine says he's usually strict on sticking to the existing ordinance, but for this one felt the variance was right for this property. Beauchine said putting a loading dock in this lot may not even make it easier for a truck to getting to the space. When it comes to loading and unloading Beauchine also said, "I think businesses police that themselves and they try to do a decent job at making sure their customers are taken care of, I think that's the target. If you can't get in and out of there you're not going to have a business, it's not going to be successful."

The Zoning Board did approve all four of MF Okemos, LLC's variances request.