Board of Zoning Appeals
About the Board
Department in Charge of This Board
We deal with requests for deviations from Zoning Code requirements. We focus on these areas:
- Reviewing requests for dimensional, use, and sign variances.
- Reviewing appeals of decisions by the Planning Director or Planning Commission
- Interpreting Zoning Ordinance language
Meeting Details
Meeting Schedule
We meet on the third Thursday of every month at 1:00 pm.
Paper Schedule
Download Annual Meeting Schedule (2025)
We Keep a schedule of all meeting changes/cancellations.
We cancelled the meeting scheduled for December 18, 2025.
Download Meeting Cancellation Notice
Meeting Location
City Hall
300 Monroe Ave. NW
City Commission Chambers 9th floor
Webpage
You can access the Board of Zoning Appeals page using this link:
Board of Zoning Appeals Details
You'll see a quick description of the board and a list of its members at the top of the page. You can also find meeting minutes, agendas, and other important documents on this page.
Note: scroll near the bottom of the page. The meeting schedule, minutes, and agendas are below the listing of board members.
More Details
Member Details
- 9 members
- 2 alternate members are appointed to serve in case of the absence of a permanent member
- The City Commission appoints members on the first Monday in January
- Members cannot hold other public office or public employment while serving on board
Current Members
| Name | Resident Status | Term Ends On |
| Jeffrey King | Ward 2 Resident | 1/3/2028 |
| Sara Lachman | Ward 2 Resident | 1/3/2028 |
| James Lewis | Ward 2 Resident | 1/4/2027 |
| Traci Montgomery, Vice Chair | Ward 2 Resident | 1/3/2028 |
| Cortney Schaffer | Ward 3 Resident | 1/7/2030 |
| Mary Swanson | Ward 2 Resident | 1/7/2030 |
| Lawrence Zeiser | Ward 2 Resident | 1/4/2027 |
| Vacancy | ||
| Bruce McCoy, Alternate | Ward 3 Resident | 1/4/2027 |
| Jason Preston, Alternate | Ward 1 Resident | 1/4/2027 |
Kristin Turkelson, Planning Director
Carol Gornowich, Recording Secretary
Rowan Brady, Planning Supervisor
Requirements for Board Membership
Residency Requirement
You must live within the city limits of Grand Rapids to be a member of this board.
No Term Limits
Each term lasts 3 years. There is no term limit, so you can serve an unlimited number of terms.
Compensation
Members receive $10.00 per meeting they attend. They also get $10.00 for each inspection committee they serve on.
Contact Us
Board Liaison
Kristin Turkelson
Director of Design, Development, and Community Engagement
616-456-4100
kturkelson@grcity.us
Primary Staff Contact
Tyler Kent
Assistant Planning Director
616-456-3579
tkent@grcity.us
