Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Zoning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Bay City adopts comprehensive zoning rewrite aimed at making the city redevelopment‑ready
Summary
The City Commission voted 8–1 to adopt a citywide rewrite of the zoning code, a change staff says will make Bay City more competitive for redevelopment funding; residents from the Germania Street neighborhood pressed for protections for single‑family areas during debate.
Bay City’s City Commission adopted a complete rewrite of the municipal zoning code on Aug. 10 after a lengthy public hearing and debate, approving the measure by an 8–1 roll call vote.
Planning staff told commissioners the rewrite implements the 2024 master plan and is intended to make the city “redevelopment‑ready,” improving the city’s competitiveness for grants and private investment. Adam of the planning department said the rewrite reclassifies certain RM‑1 and O‑1 parcels to a new Mixed‑Use district as part of a citywide reclassification exercise and noted that some uses will remain special uses subject to public process. “The planning department has been working on this zoning ordinance rewrite for at least one year,” Adam said, urging commissioners to consider the ordinance as implementing community direction from the master plan.
Residents from the Germania Street neighborhood pressed the commission to preserve single‑family character on a contested parcel, citing narrow streets, parking constraints, floodplain concerns and potential soil contamination on a former industrial site. Commissioner Cubitt acknowledged those concerns and asked staff about guardrails and opportunities for post‑adoption refinements. “There are still opportunities for some of these larger projects,” Cubitt said, urging clarity on which projects would require public hearings.
Commissioners who supported the rewrite cited the city’s declining population and the need to attract developers and infrastructure dollars. Commissioner Tenney said the rewrite is intended to make Bay City more competitive for funding and economic development. The motion to approve was made by Commissioner Cubitt and seconded by Commissioner Tenney; the clerk recorded eight votes in favor and one opposed. The ordinance will take effect according to the city’s standard procedural schedule and staff said targeted amendments (for example to make certain uses special rather than permitted) could be considered after adoption.
