Two zoning variances were approved by the Mackinaw City Village Council Thursday, December 18. In one, Cedarbrook Village was granted a variance from a green space requirement to build a 30-foot ramp from street level to its second floor so elderly residents would have easier entrance and exit. In the second variance, Star Line was granted permission to add 288 square feet of additional space to secure unattended luggage at its dock on Huron Street.

Cedarbrook, formerly a Ramada Inn, has been in negotiations for months to get the variance and has appeared before the Planning Commission. Its spokesmen have said it would be impossible to meet the village's new 25% greenspace requirement, although it claims there will actually be more greenspace after the ramp is built.

Village President Ron Wallin noted, "You can understand what the village and the Planning Commission want to do in getting more landscape area, but reality crashes up against that occasionally."

The Star Line storage building enlargement is at the behest of U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which told Star Line Ferry that its luggage storage space does not meet department specifications for storage of unattended bags.

The agency said the storage facility was inadequate when it was inspected earlier this fall, noted Star Line's David McFarland at the council meeting.

"Personally, I don't think they have to build this building," said Mr. Wallin, "but I don't want to get into an argument with Homeland Security. I think a lot of this is overblown."