Zoning Board of Appeals

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Zoning Board of Appeals

The purpose of the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) is to hear and decide appeals and to authorize variances from the strict application of the zoning, off-street parking, landscape, streets, stormwater, and fence ordinances. 

The ZBA is composed of nine members of the public, including one member of the City Council and one member of the City Planning Commission.  ZBA members serve three-year terms.   

• Candice Briere, Chair
• Todd Grant​​​, Vice Chair​​​
  
• Dave DeVarti
  
• Michael Daniel​
• Chris Madigan
• Kristina Glusac
  
• Grace Whitney
• Dharma Akmon, City Council Representative

 Apply to Serve on the Zoning Board of Appeals​ 

Bylaws- Rules of the Zoning Board of Appeals​

Meetings

The Zoning Board of Appeals typically meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 6 PM.  ​​​

*First Wednesday in December

For in-person meetings please note:

• City Hall is mask friendly to all guests at all times.  
  
• Masks will be required for all meeting participants and guests when the local CDC Community Level in Washtenaw County is HIGH.  Check the current level for Washtenaw County through the CDC's website here. 
  
• Regular meetings are broadcast for viewing online and cable television, and participants may attend virtually via Zoom or by telephone. 
  
• Applicants, owners, and public hearing comments may be made in person at the meeting, by Zoom, or by phone. 
  
• Return to in-person meetings is required for compliance with the Michigan Open Meetings Act. Temporary provisions that allowed electronic participation since March 2020 expired on December 31, 2021.  
  

​​Please do not attend if you are sick for any reason, including having symptoms or a diagnosis of COVID-19, or have recently been in close contact with someone with COVID-19.  Several other attendance options are available when you are sick or in quarantine, or simply for your convenience. 

Application Procedure and Forms

**Please note:  Applications to appear before the ZBA ​​require a Pre-Submission Meeting application in STREAM to begin. After the Pre-Submission Meeting, staff will unlock the correct applications with unique links accessible to the STREAM accounts of project team members. Please also note that the Pre-Submission Meeting date is not the same as, and will not satisfy the need to submit applications by the Application Due date indicated on this page.**

Applications​ are due by noon on the fourth Wednesday of the prior month unless otherwise noted.   

The following materials are required to be submitted with a completed application:

• Boundary Survey of the property including all existing and proposed structures, dimensions of property, and area of property. 
  
• Building floor plans showing interior rooms, including dimensions.
• Photographs of the prope​rty and any existing buildings involved in the request.
• A Letter of Authorization if the applicant is not the owner of the property. 
  

The Zoning Board of Appeals Application fees are as follows and are due at the time the application is filed.

• Single & Two-Family: $1,000 per address
• Multiple-Family & Commercial: $1,000 per address
• Administrative Appeal: $1,500
  

All Zoning Board of Appeals applications must be submitted through the City's new online permitting system STREAM​ (​stream.a2gov.org​​). Paper applications and emailed PDFs are no longer accepted.​

​Minutes

The Zoning Board of Appeals meeting schedule, packets, minutes, and videos are available at the City of Ann Arbor's Legislative Information Center. 

• Access the calendar page.
• Select "Zoning Board of Appeals" from the drop-down menu at the top of the page.
• Click on the "Search Calendar" button. 
• Staff reports can be found by clicking the "Meeting Details" link for each meeting date.

For copies of minutes prior to September 2011, contact Mia Gale at 734.794.6000 x 42665 or email [email protected].