Zoning Reform Conversation, 2024-03-05

Submitted by whitemice on Thu, 03/07/2024 - 07:51

UPDATE 2024-03-12: Zoning text amendment adoption vote [or not] has been moved out to April 23rd, which will be a 7pm evening meeting.

At the 2024-03-05 Committee of the Whole (COW) discussed the proposed zoning / land-use reform proposals from the Planning Commission.

The proposed date for the ordinances was moved further out, to April 23rd. Following a public hearing on March 19th; the March 19th meeting is a City Commission "Night Out" to be held in the 1st Ward (Harrison Park Academy, 1440 Davis Ave NW). The April 9th meeting is a midday (2pm) meeting at City Hall.

The apparent purpose of the delay is to engage those who have not been following this conversation of the past several years, or attended any of the dozens of public meetings on the topic of housing, zoning, and the master plan.

The phase#3 of the Master Plan process engaged over 1,000 residents; and that is not counting phase#1 or phase#2. The city hosted three events, one in each ward. Neighborhood Organizations hosted engagement events, as did "Community Connectors" on a stipend program from the Planning Department. Of those engaged 39% were from the 2nd Ward, which represents 36% of the city's population [the 2nd ward is the epicenter of Grand Rapid's NIMBYism]. The age demographics of those engaged, aside from young people, match the city remarkably well. The validity of the engagement the city has conducted is high.

WardAge

Hopefully 🤞, these reforms can be ratified before the 2024 building season, but April is cutting it very close. This City Commission is again demonstrating it's inability to experience urgency; privileging the, unfortunately effective, strategy of do-not-participate-cry-foul-at-the-end. The proposed reforms come out of public engagement, we've had these conversations. As a Community Connector I have hosted three events in my own neighborhood of Highland Park. These proposals align with what I have heard: (1) the recognition of the ➡️ urgent ⬅️ need for housing, (2) ADUs are OK👍, (3) preference for having that "greater density" on corridors 👍, (4) openness to alternative forms of housing 👍 [transition housing, SROs, etc..].

Will this City Commission discard the input from these engagements in favor of the feelings of those who did not choose to participate? Will this City Commission disrespect the time over 1,000 citizens took from their own schedules to participate, in favor of those who did not? Given what we have seen over the last eight (8) years, it is certainly possible. So we must engage, yet again. And remember: 2024 is an election year.

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Tags: 
zoning
housing
city-commission