Planning commission directs staff to draft tiny-house zoning language

Saginaw Planning Commission on Monday directed staff to prepare zoning ordinance language to allow small “tiny house” dwellings in multiple residential and mixed‑use districts.

The commission voted to ask staff to draft rules that would allow detached tiny houses of 200 square feet or more with limits by zone — one unit in R‑1, up to two in R‑2, up to three in R‑3 and up to five in MU‑1 — and to include design, screening and placement requirements for multi‑unit groupings.

The measure grew from hours of discussion in which commissioners and staff debated minimum unit sizes, density, building‑code constraints and how tiny homes should be sited. Commissioner John Clark moved the original direction to staff, saying the commission should create a regulated option for smaller, code‑built dwellings. “I will move that we direct staff to include language in the proposed zoning code for what is colloquially called tiny houses,” Commissioner Clark said during the meeting.

City planning staff, represented by Bob Golan, reminded commissioners the draft zoning is a “living document” and can be revised after adoption. Golan explained the draft reduces the minimum dwelling size in some zones (from prior drafts) and that other technical items such as legal nonconforming uses and version history will be handled in the codification process. “We are getting down to the final document here,” Golan said at the start of the agenda item, noting the rewrite began in October 2023 and has included workshops, surveys and consultant input.

Commissioners raised multiple concerns before voting. Some argued a 200‑square‑foot minimum would be too small for livability and maintenance; others said tighter limits were necessary to avoid visual and density mismatches with existing neighborhoods. Commissioner Michael Bland described 200 square feet as “tiny” and questioned where such units would fit in Saginaw’s urban fabric, while Commissioner Rachel (staff) and others noted building‑code minimums, infrastructure costs and accessory‑building rules would constrain practical deployment. Commissioners pointed to examples in other Michigan cities: Grand Rapids has a 650‑square‑foot threshold; Detroit and other places have lower minima for planned, clustered developments.

After debate, commissioners amended the Clark motion to add one tiny‑house unit in R‑1 and then approved the motion as amended, directing staff to draft specific ordinance language and return with recommended text for the commission to review. Staff said it will present draft language and any conflicts with other code provisions (for example accessory‑building size limits and ADU rules) for further consideration ahead of the public‑hearing process.

Votes at a glance

- Motion directing staff to draft tiny‑house language (mover: Commissioner John Clark): approved as amended; commissioners directed staff to prepare ordinance text reflecting the zone‑by‑zone limits described above and to return with recommended language.

What it means

The commission’s direction does not change the zoning immediately. The vote instructs planning staff to prepare ordinance language and to identify code cross‑references and implementation constraints (building‑code minimums, accessory‑structure rules, parking and utility connections). If staff concludes some proposed allowances conflict with other standards, staff will flag those issues and present alternatives when the commission considers the specific ordinance language at a future meeting.

Next steps

Staff said it will draft the text, note any implementation barriers, and bring the language back for commission review. The commission discussed scheduling a special meeting for review but staff said public‑notice and publication requirements make a May public hearing more likely. A town‑hall presentation for residents is planned for April 9 at Saginaw United, and the planning commission indicated it expects to consider final public‑hearing language in April or May.