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Commission rezones former church at 62 Erwin Ave. to RM‑1 to allow small multifamily conversion
Summary
The commission approved rezoning a vacant church building at 62 Erwin from neighborhood residential to RM‑1 low-density multifamily, citing the master plan and options for adaptive reuse including up to four units or single-room-occupancy design
The City of Muskegon Commission approved a rezoning request for 62 Erwin Avenue, a vacant former church, changing its zoning from neighborhood residential to RM‑1 (low-density multifamily residential).
Mike Franzak, the city’s planning director, told the commission the planning commission unanimously recommended rezoning 6–0. Franzak said RM‑1 allows up to 16 units per acre, which in practice would permit up to four units on the site given the building’s size; the designation also allows single-room-occupancy (SRO) uses that the owner might pursue.
Applicant Devin Washburn, who identified himself as the property owner under contract, said he is evaluating development options and is a carpenter by trade. "I wanna start and figure out if he can do the multifamily route, or if that's not financially viable, then more in the single family vein," Washburn said.
Commissioners discussed building condition and code issues. Commissioner Kilgo raised the basement and foundation as a site-specific concern; Kilgo said the basement foundation shows some buckling and that the renovation will require typical code and inspection steps. Franzak and Washburn acknowledged that structural and code compliance work will be part of any redevelopment.
Vote and effect: the rezoning passed on roll call with a majority of commissioners voting yes; the change aligns with the city’s master plan language encouraging adaptive reuse of civic buildings for housing.
Why it matters: the RM‑1 designation gives developers more flexibility to convert larger civic structures into multiple smaller units, a tool the planning director said the master plan envisioned for vacant churches, schools and similar buildings. The owner said he may seek multifamily conversions to serve traveling nurses or, if that proves infeasible, pursue a single-family option.
Next steps: owner/developer to develop a specific site plan, complete code and structural inspections, and apply for building permits if the project advances.
