PORTAGE, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – The Portage city council approved a controversial rewrite of their ordinance for zoning homes by the thinnest of margins, partly because of citizen opposition.
On a rare 4-to-3 vote, they approved a significant update of their residential codes.
City officials say it won’t just clarify what they had on the books, but will help them address the housing crisis.
Planning director Peter Dame says developers have been opting to go around the city’s zoning, because it’s not in line with the market.
Over a dozen residents spoke against the revisions, for a variety of reasons, but mostly because they represent change.
Several others spoke in favor of the ordinance revisions.
Opponents asked that the council delay the vote until they could hold additional discussions with the community.
A few council members supported the request, but the majority did not, and voted to approve.
Mayor Patricia Randall says the city needs to keep evolving.
Council members Jihan Young and Vic Ledbetter said for them, it was a question of economic fairness
The changes will mostly impact new development. Existing neighborhoods will mostly remain unaffected.
Passage of the residential Unified Development Ordinance is just half of the zoning revisions that Portage city staff have been working on.
They have plans to take on updates to the commercial and industrial zoning codes by the end of the year.
Comments