KINGSFORD — Kingsford City Council approved a zoning variance for a nearly completed garage on Riverhills Road, despite some objections.

Kurt Lehmann requested the variance after finding out his garage had been constructed 12 feet into the 25-foot setback required by the city.

When the construction plan was submitted to the city, the garage was not located in the setback, but a contractor built the garage at a different location than what was in the plan.

Lehmann said he was out of the country when the construction was taking place, and only learned about it from a cease-and-desist order.

He had hoped the city would approve the variance to save him the expense of having to tear the garage down and putting it elsewhere, possibly closer to a neighbor’s property line.

“I’d like to avoid destroying values and annoying neighbors,” Lehmann said.

Two people submitted letters objecting to the project, but the neighbor who lives directly across the street from the driveway had no objections.

Mayor Joe Groeneveld and council members Dennis Baldinelli and Michael Flaminio voted Monday to approve the variance.

Groeneveld said he didn’t want to add more burden to Lehmann, Flaminio doubted there would be an issue with snow removal and Baldinelli said it was already a hardship for the owner.

Council member Cynthia Dixon-Miller, who is a neighbor, was opposed to the variance because she didn’t want to establish a pattern, but she abstained from voting. Council member Dan Freeman voted against it, later saying he didn’t want to set a precedent.

In other business, the council:

≤ Agreed to accept the lowest bid that meets specifications to replace a length of sewer line along Hamilton Avenue on Kingsford High School property and a length of water main that goes under Kimberly Avenue near Hamilton Avenue. Bids were received from Payne & Dolan of Gladstone for $188,585; Morin Excavating of Niagara, Wis., for $209,000; Bacco Construction of Iron Mountain for $235,457; and FA Industrial of Iron River for $263,875.

≤ Approved resolutions honoring Kingsford Public Safety, the Department of Public Works and the Centennial Committee for their help with the city’s centennial celebration in early August.

They also approved resolutions honoring Rick and Marty Lagina for their donations of $50,000 each to the Ford Addition park.

≤ Approved a request to use City Hall for early voting for the entire county for three 2024 elections. City Manager Mike Stelmaszek said nine days of early voting are needed.

In the future, early voting may rotate with Iron Mountain and Breitung Township. Any costs would be shared.

≤ Learned health insurance premiums would increase 7.2% on Jan. 1. Stelmaszek said the contract expires July 1.

≤ Approved sending deputy clerk Tonya Hiltonen to a Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks Masters Academy session in Mount Pleasant in November.

She will share the cost of the hotel with another person.

≤ Approved sending Sgt. Brian Adams to hostage negotiations training Oct. 9-13. A grant will pay for half the cost and the rest will come from the public safety budget.