Zoning board approves reduced parking for Bay City Housing Commission's Columbus Avenue project

The Bay City Zoning Board of Appeals on March 10 approved a parking variance for the Bay City Housing Commission's Columbus Avenue affordable housing project, voting 4-0 to allow a reduced number of off-street spaces on the O1 parcel.

Bill Phillips of the Bay City Housing Commission told the board the proposed development will be deed-restricted affordable housing and that residents of similar properties average substantially less than one vehicle per unit. "Affordable housing has a very defined target population," Phillips said, adding that his agency's portfolio averages range from about 0.54 to 0.85 spaces per unit. In the packet the applicant provided a unit mix described as 21 one-bedroom, 25 two-bedroom and 15 three-bedroom units; Phillips also said the O1 parcel will contain about 60 dwelling units and that the applicant proposes 63 parking spaces on that parcel versus an ordinance-calculated requirement of 110 spaces.

The applicant cited transit access and off-street options as part of the justification. Phillips said Bay Metro will serve the site and provided a letter confirming service; he also described designated on-street parking on the north side of Columbus Avenue and estimated that 25 to 30 additional spaces could be striped on North Adams Street if needed.

A board member noted an apparent discrepancy with a 2018 ZBA decision, saying the earlier approval had been recorded at 1.25 spaces per unit (which would have required 75 spaces for the parcel). Phillips and staff said prior calculations in their files had indicated a 1.0 ratio for the earlier subsite and apologized for any confusion in the paperwork. The unit-count and calculation differences were not fully reconciled during the meeting.

In deliberations the board considered the five variance standards, including whether strict compliance would unreasonably prevent use of the property and whether the hardship was self-created. One board member who identified himself by role as president of the Bay City Planning Commission noted that a draft amendment to the zoning ordinance (Article 17) under review would give approving bodies discretion to reduce parking guidelines and suggested the ordinance-review process was already considering lower parking minimums for multifamily housing; staff cautioned that a draft ordinance is not adopted law and the board could not base its decision on a not-yet-adopted draft.

A motion to approve the variance (recorded in the minutes as for "case Z26Dash01" and referencing the five statutory standards) was made by a board member and seconded; the board's roll-call vote was read and recorded as four yeas, no nays. The board listed members present as Larry Elliott, Paul Kleinau, Doug Reisz and Chair Jan Reis. Staff clarified that the board's decision would take effect immediately after the vote; the meeting record also noted an older, informal reference to a five-day waiver but staff said that five-day clause does not appear in the current zoning ordinance.

During public comment, neighbor Jerry Stevens said he lived across the street at 509 11th Street and asked whether nearby vacant lots would be developed for parking; Phillips replied the Housing Commission owns those lots and that there was no current plan for them.

The board's approval allows the project to move forward with the reduced parking plan on the O1 parcel; the applicant and staff should ensure the final site plan, any shared-parking arrangements and permits reflect the variance and reconcile the packet's unit-count/calculation discrepancy noted at the hearing. The board indicated it expects this item to be implemented promptly and said it will consider related ordinance changes at upcoming Planning Commission meetings.