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Planning Commission forwards 2024 annual report and 2025 work plan to city council; flags master plan review and zoning updates
Summary
The Planning Commission voted to forward its 2024 annual planning and zoning report and a proposed 2025 work plan to city council on Jan. 13, 2025. The work plan highlights a five-year master-plan review, a full zoning ordinance update, sidewalk network maintenance, parking and illumination standards, and a possible DDA establishment.
The Fraser Planning Commission voted on Jan. 13, 2025, to send its 2024 annual planning and zoning report and a proposed 2025 work plan to city council, adding a recommendation to address allowable building materials in the zoning ordinance.
Planner Lauren Cyr reviewed the annual report and work plan. The report summarized 2024 activity (permits issued, enforcement actions and development review outcomes) and noted ordinance updates completed in 2024, including the sign ordinance. Cyr said the Michigan Planning Enabling Act requires the commission to submit an annual report and that the 2025 work plan would likely include a master plan review (the current plan was adopted in 2021 and will require review within five years), continued zoning ordinance updates, implementation of new districts, sidewalk network development and a review of parking minimums and illumination standards.
Commissioners discussed priorities, including adding “building materials” to the zoning update after recent variance requests and lighting disputes (noting LED-era photometric issues raised at recent hearings). Commissioner Farina moved, and Commissioner Teller seconded, to forward the annual report and the 2025 work plan to city council and to include building-materials language in the zoning update. The motion passed on roll call vote among present commissioners.
Cyr said a full zoning ordinance update is underway and cautioned that piecemeal amendments (for example to driveways or lighting) could slow completion of the full update; commissioners discussed balancing targeted fixes against the larger rewrite. The commission also acknowledged that the Sheetz development and other recent changes affect the downtown planning assumptions, and staff said those changes would be considered during the master-plan/zoning work.
The commission directed staff to refine the work plan and to return drafts as the steering committee and drafting process move forward; forwarding the report to council starts the public and council consideration process.
