Council approves zoning change for 233 Washington hotel after parking language amended

The Grand Haven City Council on June 16 approved a final resolution to amend the zoning map and grant preliminary development plan approval for a hotel at 233 Washington Avenue (parcel 70-0330-217), with a narrow set of amendments addressing how nearby parking may be counted.

The council voted to remove the word “public” from a condition that permitted off-street parking to be counted and to strike a sentence that would have prohibited consideration of on-street parking spaces toward the hotel’s required parking. The amended resolution passed on a roll-call vote (Lowe: yes; McLaughlin: yes; Fritz: yes; Maneta: yes).

City Planner Brian Erkhart told the council the project initially proposed 89 on-site spaces while the zoning-required amount is 128, leaving a gap of 39 spaces. At the first reading staff had allowed counting off-street public parking within 400 feet; after public comment the permitted distance was increased to 900 feet. Erkhart said the published second-reading text should not limit the counted spaces to “public” off-street spaces and recommended removing that word to allow private off-street lots to be included in the counted inventory within 900 feet.

Developers and their team described parking as a practical problem the hotel will have to manage but stressed it affects only a “handful” of nights a year. A development-team spokesperson told council the hotel would provide adequate on-site parking for the majority of use, and that on-street shortages are likely occasional but important for guest experience on peak nights. The team said it had discussed potential solutions with city staff and the Downtown Development Authority, including leasing nearby spaces and options such as snow-melted angled stalls, but that some solutions may require later ordinance changes.

Council members discussed legal and enforcement hurdles for counting on-street spaces. Mayor Vanessa and other council members noted the city’s existing code prohibits overnight parking on some downtown streets and that counting on-street spaces for a private use would likely require changes to the code of ordinances plus a permitting or licensing system.

Councilmember Lowe moved to amend the published condition by removing the word “public” and striking the sentence that would have barred consideration of on-street parking; Councilmember McLaughlin seconded the amendment. After brief discussion the amendment carried unanimously and the council approved the amended zoning resolution on second reading.

The resolution approves the planned development and authorizes the city to proceed with the development plan under the amended terms; it does not itself change the separate ordinances that currently prohibit overnight on-street parking in some downtown locations. City Planner Erkhart and staff said any later attempt to allow reserved overnight on-street spaces would require separate ordinance changes and a return to council.