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Council approves conditional rezoning of former parking lot for a four‑story, 90‑unit apartment project at 461 West Huron
Summary
Council adopted an ordinance rezoning a parcel south of West Huron from P-1 (parking) to R-4 (multi-family) and approved a conditional rezoning agreement that limits height to four stories, caps units at 90 and requires buffers adjacent to single‑family homes.
The Pontiac City Council on April 1 approved a conditional rezoning and associated agreement for a parcel at 461 West Huron, south of West Huron and adjacent to Pontiac General Hospital. The rezoning changes the site from P-1 (parking) to R-4 (multifamily residential) and includes council-mandated conditions.
Planning staff and the project applicant described the site as a roughly 2.6-acre underused parking parcel that the applicant proposes to redevelop as a four‑story apartment building with up to 90 dwelling units and on-site parking. The applicant said the project is intended as attainable rental housing and that the development team intends to pursue Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) financing targets at income levels near 50–60% of area median income; the applicant said exact rents will be set later in the financing process.
Council and staff emphasized protections for adjacent single‑family properties: the approved conditional agreement limits building height to 4 stories, caps the unit count at 90, restricts vehicular access to South Johnson Avenue (protecting Green Street residences), increases perimeter buffer landscaping to 15 feet where the site abuts residential lots and requires repair and preservation of an existing masonry wall along the south side.
Planning Commission recommended approval (4–2) at its February hearing; council completed a second reading and adopted the zoning amendment and a separate resolution authorizing the mayor to execute the conditional rezoning agreement. The council vote on the ordinance was recorded in favor and the subsequent resolution adopting the conditional rezoning agreement passed by roll call.
Next steps: The applicant must return for site-plan approval and, if financing is pursued through LIHTC or other sources, will present binding financing information during development review. The council required the project to obtain site-plan approval within the conditional timeline; if the developer does not secure approvals within the conditional window the parcel would revert to the prior P-1 parking zoning.
