Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Council approves several zoning changes, refers carport rule to P&Z and denies Belt Mill PD amendment
Loading...
Summary
Council approved zoning text amendments to allow off‑premise parking by SUP and approved a land‑swap rezoning (4B/4C), referred draft carport changes to Planning & Zoning for further work, and denied the Commons at Belt Mill planned‑development amendment after public concern about departures from the original masterplan.
Saginaw City Council moved through several land‑use and planning items at its Dec. 16 meeting, approving some zoning changes, referring a draft ordinance to Planning & Zoning, and denying a proposed PD amendment after a public hearing.
Zoning text amendment (item 4A). Assistant Director Susie Victor Trino presented a text amendment to the city’s permitted‑use table to allow off‑premise parking by Specific Use Permit (SUP) in community commercial, city facilities, light industrial and heavy industrial districts while keeping the use disallowed in office and neighborhood commercial categories. Council opened a public hearing, had no speakers come forward, and approved the change to permit the SUP pathway.
Falcon/STAR land‑swap and rezoning (items 4B and 4C). Staff described a negotiated land‑swap and a planned‑development track that would move vehicle access from Spring Hollow to East McElroy and consolidate light industrial zoning on the Falcon parcels while converting other strips to community commercial for future uses. Falcon Commercial Development’s Walker White and Spring Creek HOA President Alex Costello described a year of negotiations; the HOA said most adjacent homeowners supported the compromise after door‑to‑door outreach, and the developer agreed to extend screening where needed. Council approved the PD amendment with amended documents and approved the required rezoning map changes after public hearing.
Carport ordinance (item 3E referral). Council debated proposed changes that would remove a maximum carport footprint and would allow encroachment into side‑yard easements if property owners submit a drainage study and engineered gutters. Building official Larry Little and other council members warned that allowing side‑yard encroachments raises fire‑safety, code and property‑line survey issues and could create enforcement problems for staff. After debate the council voted to send the draft to Planning & Zoning for a detailed review and recommendations.
Commons at Belt Mill (item 4D denied). Clay Christie (engineer for the project) and the developer presented a reconfiguration for a mixed‑use ‘Commons at Belt Mill’ development that included a fitness anchor (EOS Fitness), retail and pad sites with some drive‑thru proposals. Staff and multiple council members repeatedly told the applicant the new plan departed significantly from the master‑planned PD, particularly in how public green space and walkability were treated, and residents and council members said they preferred to wait for a plan closer to the original vision rather than approve a strip‑center style development. After the public hearing the council voted to deny the PD amendment.
Other items. Assistant Director Jared Kersey said the city received 12 bids for the old library remodel; staff will return on Jan. 20 with a recommendation. Council also approved an omnibus slate of board and commission appointments and adjourned the meeting at 10:11 p.m.
Votes at a glance: consent agenda approved; 2C award approved contingent on city attorney signoff; zoning text amendment 4A approved; PD amendment 4B and rezoning 4C approved with amended documents; PD amendment 4D (Commons at Belt Mill) denied; omnibus appointments approved.
