Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Planning commission recommends approval of 20‑bed human‑care facility at 203 S. 3rd Ave
Loading...
Summary
The Big Rapids Planning Commission voted to recommend a special land use permit for a 20‑bed assisted‑living/human care facility at 203 South 3rd Avenue, conditioned on required variances from the Zoning Board of Appeals and submission of a complete application.
The Big Rapids Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of a special land use permit for a proposed 20‑bed human‑care facility at 203 South 3rd Avenue, forwarding the application to the city commission with conditions.
Planning staff summarized the request and said the property is zoned C‑3; staff explained a mismatch in the ordinance language (some uses listed “by right” in the C‑3 land use table while conditional use standards reference a special use), so the application has been processed as a special land use. The commission heard from the applicant’s representative, Phil De Vries, who said the project will reuse the existing structure, add interior improvements (kitchens, showers, additional windows) and limit occupancy to 20 residents with 24‑hour staffing and a minimum of two staff on duty. The applicant estimated 11–14 new local jobs and said many residents would be state‑placed rather than private pay.
Neighbors and other members of the public offered both support and concerns. One local property owner provided a history of the building and said adaptive reuse would benefit the East Side. Nearby residents raised safety and nuisance concerns tied to the Rails‑to‑Trails corridor — citing past encampments and trash — and asked whether fencing, lighting, and the facility’s proximity to a busy road would be addressed. Staff and the applicant said operations must meet state licensing requirements and that the site includes some existing fencing on the building side; applicant representatives said they plan landscaping and maintenance improvements but do not own adjacent lots where additional fencing might be needed.
A commissioner moved to recommend approval "because it meets the standards set in section 10.3:8 and section 11.1:7 of the zoning ordinance," conditioned on variances being granted by the Zoning Board of Appeals and submission of a complete application to staff. The motion was seconded and approved by roll call.
The planning commission’s recommendation now goes to the Big Rapids City Commission for final action; the planner noted the variances must be resolved at the ZBA before the commission can act on the special land use.
