Muskegon Commissioners to Consider 4 Housing Rule Changes

MUSKEGON, MI – Muskegon city leaders will consider suggestions on how to address the current housing shortage in November.

After gathering public opinion over the summer, city planners are recommending four changes to the city’s zoning laws that would allow more housing to be built on existing properties.

Changes include:

• Instead of having R-1, R-2, and R-3 zoning, all residential zoning will be under R-1 requirements and will be renamed from “single-family residential districts” to “neighborhood residential districts.”
• Allow duplexes, triplexes, and accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods and create a formal definition for accessory dwelling units.
• Change design requirements to facilitate the conversion of single-family homes to duplexes and small multiplexes.
• Make it so that only one parking space is required per unit. (For example, a triplex would require three parking spaces, while a single-family home would only require one.)

The Muskegon Planning Commission reviewed and approved the proposed changes now to be considered by the Muskegon City Commission at its November 12 meeting. Planning commissioners Mayor Ken Johnson and Destinee Keener, also a city commissioner, abstained from voting on the changes.

Johnson said it wasn’t because he was against the changes, but because he wanted to give residents more time to learn about the proposed changes, as a mailed newsletter is scheduled to reach mailboxes by the end of October.

The proposed zoning changes come after the city realized it needs 3,000 additional housing units by 2027, according to a 2022 housing needs assessment.

The study also showed that housing costs are rising due to shortages and demand. There are 786 vacant residential lots in neighborhoods throughout the city of Muskegon.

The city began gathering resident input on how the housing shortage should be addressed last summer through several in-person events, meetings with neighborhood associations and online communication.

Johnson said 40 people attended the in-person events and 26 people responded to the online feedback form.

During those information sessions, planners presented a similar set of four changes, which then changed and evolved based on resident feedback before being presented to the planning commission at its October 10 meeting.

The second proposed change was originally to allow up to four units in a home. This idea received 43% approval from residents who provided feedback, with people agreeing with the affordability but concerned about large multi-unit complexes.

The new recommendation is limited to three units per home. Duplexes must have at least 40 feet of road frontage, while triplexes must have at least 50 feet of road frontage, must be serviced by an alley, and vehicles must have access from the rear of the property. Accessory housing units must be secondary and unrelated to the main construction type and must be located at the rear of the property.

The fourth change was originally to possibly eliminate parking minimums. Resident feedback supported flexibility and choice for homeowners, but expressed concerns about getting rid of the requirement completely.

Planning Commissioner and former Mayor Steve Gawron said he appreciated the rules in place, noting that some residents feared “slumlords” would create overcrowded complexes.

“These are firm requirements that really protect the integrity of the structure itself (and) the neighborhood in which they are located,” Gawron said.

During the research, the city looked at two other cities that had success after making similar zoning changes.

In Auburn, Maine, the city has even allowed triplex units in all residential districts, eliminated parking minimums, reduced minimum lot sizes, and increased housing units per acre. By easing restrictions and increasing density, these changes have boosted housing supply, said city planner Jamie Pesch.

In Minneapolis, the city allowed up to four units per home and accessory dwelling units in all residential zones, eliminated parking minimums and reduced lot sizes. The changes resulted in rental rate increases slowing compared to other cities and the rest of the state and increased housing supply. Pesch said rents increased just 1% and the city saw a 12% reduction in homelessness, while other cities saw an even larger increase.

Want more news about the Muskegon area? Mark the location Muskegon News Page or register for free “3@3 Muskegão”Daily newsletter.