Planning Commission advances draft zoning ordinance to public hearing, rescinds tiny‑home mandate and agrees to study rental overlay

The City of Saginaw Planning Commission completed a final review of a draft zoning ordinance and directed staff to publish the consolidated document for a public hearing at its next regular meeting. During the session commissioners discussed revised definitions, use‑standards and district changes prepared by consultant Andy Amott of Kiffels Webster and by city staff. Two formal actions followed: the commission rescinded an earlier request that tiny‑home language be included in the draft and approved a staff request to research rental‑restriction overlay options for neighborhoods.

Consultant Andy Amott reviewed substantive changes carried forward from earlier drafts, saying the revisions clarify use definitions and align zoning districts with existing development patterns. “We revised definitions for, mostly what were mostly use related definitions,” Amott said, and described edits to definitions for dwelling, family, boarding houses, group residences and accessory dwelling units (ADUs). He said the draft distinguishes boarding and rooming houses from group residences and clarifies that a detached single‑family dwelling does not include mobile or manufactured homes but may include modular homes.

Key changes covered in the review include: - Definitions revised or added for boarding house, dwelling, family, accessory dwelling unit (ADU), group residence and kennel; the draft differentiates pet boarding (daytime care) from kennels (overnight boarding, breeding, runs). - New or clarified standards for places of assembly versus private clubs, with private clubs proposed as a special land use on the primary ground floor in some downtown subdistricts. - Dimensional and parking standards updates, including a reduction of required front yard depth for single‑family dwellings from 26 feet to 20 feet in R‑1 and R‑2; minimum lot size increases for conversions to 3–4 unit buildings (7,200 sq ft minimum) and clarifications that small multiunit residential conversions may rely on driveway‑style parking rather than engineered lots for 4 or fewer units. - Riverfront and double‑frontage rules requiring a 30‑foot landscaped buffer between parking and the frontage for certain lots to preserve river orientation and pedestrian character. - Clarifications to vehicle fueling and repair standards; the draft allows EV charging infrastructure and the planning staff indicated parking standards already address EV charger construction and signage.

Public commenters raised housing‑related concerns prior to the staff presentation. Scott Nazinski, a former city building inspector, urged caution on tiny homes’ placement and compliance with building and egress codes, noting minimum room and foundation requirements in Michigan. “Those are not code compliant sleeping areas. They’re less than 7 feet in any direction. That’s a fire hazard,” Nazinski said. Beth Van Simren, a long‑time Northmore District homeowner, said she opposed ADUs in R‑1 districts and urged the city to consider rental‑restriction overlays, citing what she and neighbors view as a correlation between rental concentrations and increased blight and crime in parts of the Northmore neighborhood.

Commissioner Clark, invoking an earlier motion he had made, moved to rescind the prior direction that required tiny‑home language be included in the final draft. Commissioner Moore seconded that motion. The commission voted to rescind; a roll call captured at the meeting recorded one no vote (Commissioner Faust) and a majority in favor. The chair confirmed the motion carried and staff will exclude the tiny‑home directive from the ordinance to be published for a public hearing but will bring the tiny‑home subject back later at staff’s recommendation.

Separately, after public comment from residents about rentals, the commission approved a motion to have staff investigate rental‑restriction overlay options and return findings. The motion passed by roll call; commissioners agreed staff would compile existing research and provide an initial summary at the next meeting so the commission can consider further steps. Staff noted the draft ordinance must be posted publicly at least 15 days before the public hearing and that the consolidated draft will be posted to the zoning rewrite project webpage.

Commissioners emphasized the draft is a work in progress. Several members asked staff to ensure the full consolidated ordinance and map are posted with enough time for review prior to the hearing. Staff confirmed the document will be available on the city’s project page and that the public hearing and subsequent recommendation to city council will follow the hearing schedule.