Planning Commission Agenda, 2026-03-26

The municipal agenda for the Planning Commission meeting on 2026-03-26 is 👉here👈

836 Livingston Ave NE

This request is to rezone a single parcel to match the zoning of the adjacent, to the east, parcels. This rezoning is to facilitate the construction a multi-unit housing development. As with so much of the Belknap neighborhood the property is a "steep slope". The zoning ordinance prefers development to avoid cutting into these slopes due to concerns about erosion or impact on neighboring properties. The purchase of this property, and subsequent rezoning, will allow a development and required parking to be positioned in such a way as to minimize impact on the slopes.

The development itself will likely be identified as 801 - 811 Coit Ave NE. It has previously appeared before the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) on (2026-01-15) to address the steeps slopes issue - from which the BZA can grant relief - before acquiring the adjacent Livingston property.

• Board of Zoning Appeals meeting stream, 2026-01-15, Youtube
• Board of Zoning Appeals agenda item, 2026-01-15, Legacy Agenda Application

Aside: Appealing to the BZA is another hearing with another hefty fee. The zoning appeals process is yet another way in which an over complicated, vague, and onerous zoning ordinance favors the wealthy and more sophisticated developer:they can pursue a way out which would would not be available to a smaller or less experienced/connected developer.

The development discussed at the BZA for this site was a 12-unit muilti-family structure which is within the low-density range of the current zoning, corresponds with the adjacent property uses - particularly Newberry Place, as well as the uses defined for this area by the 2009 Belknap Area Specific Plan.

The Belknap Mixed Housing District (Belknap MH) shown in orange, allows for a variety of residential building types ranging from detached houses to rowhouses and apartment buildings, all maintaining a maximum overall height of thirty-five feet. This district acts as a transition to the northern edge of the neighborhood along the Lafayette Avenue corridor to Leonard Street. - Belknap ASP

Reminder: "low density" within traditional (TN) districts in the current zoning ordinance is defined, for multi-unit developments, as a maximum of one unit per 2,000sq/ft and medium density as a maximum of one unit per 1,250sq/ft. There is no "high density" residential permitted in traditional (TN) zone districts. This is defined in table 5.5.06.A of the zoning ordinance.

The combination of 801 Coit Ave NE, 811 Coit Ave NE, and 836 Livingston NE (the parcel in question) would create a development site of 0.870948 acres, or 37,939sq/ft. Under the strictest interpretation of low-density residential a development of up to nineteen (19) units is permitted. Generally, half of the surface of adjacent right-of-way - Coit Ave in this case - is also considered for this calculation. Including half the are of the adjacent Coit Ave results in at least 21 units being permissable.
"Low Density" does not mean "single family", regardless of how ardently some may insist that is so; and it has not meant that since at least 2002 - nearly twenty-five (25) years ago. Those insisting that "low density" means "single family" are making an argument which was false prior to the theatrical release of Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers", Chris Columbus' "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets", and George Lucas' "Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones". So, it has been awhile; as the Bayesians would say: "Update your priors!".

837 Prospect Ave NE

This request is for a Special Land Use (SLU) to permit the construction of three (3) three-story duplexes on the property. This development would be ~75% of the density permitted by the "low density" residential zone district. In addition to the city's zoning ordinance's zone district the site's "TR" zone within the 2009 Belknap Area Specific Plan recommends that duplexes be permitted by-right.

Given the size of the lot (97ft wide x 125ft deep) it is probable that it was previously two lots which were merged; this was a disastrous anti-urban practiced encouraged by Grand Rapids' previous pro-suburbanization 2000 Master Plan. Most lots in the Traditional (TN) zoning districts are forty (40) to fifty (50) feet wide. Based on that precedent this lot could be split into multiple lots, facilitating an even greater density than what the development proposes (three duplexes + three ADUs: a total of nine (9) units); in the future, based on expectations from the 2024 Master Plan - which will likely not produce a new Zoning Code until ~2028 due to reasons - the potential density would be even higher, as much as twelve (12) units.

The development proposed is a total of six (6) units; five (5) of the units have three bedrooms, and one (1) of the units will have four (4) bedrooms. This accords 2009 Belknap Area Specific Plan which expresses a preference for varied bedroom configurations in order to support a variety of household types. As the site is accessible by an alley no additional street curb cuts are required, which maximizes both safety and the utilization of on-street parking. The arbitrary parking requirements imposed by the zoning ordinance are for eleven parking spaces. A duplex with two (2) bedrooms requires 1.5 parking spaces, and then 0.25 additional parking spaces for each bedroom; so a three (3) bedroom duplex requires 1.75 parking spaces and a four (4) bedroom duplex requires two (2) parking spaces. At the end of the calculation standard Dungeon & Dragons rules apply: round any fraction up to the next integer. So:

The development will provide only ten (10) parking spaces, one (1) less than the zoning ordinance's arbitrary requirement. Fortunately, yes, we can once again perform the dance of the parking waiver. The zoning ordinance allows a 50% parking reduction for sites within the walk-shed of public transportation. This sites proximity to the [frequent] Rapid #11 would allow the Planning Commission to grant a waiver reducing the requirement to 6 spaces [D&D math for dividing 11 in half]. Six (6) parking spaces is less than the ten (10) parking spaces provided. This calculation does not include available on-street parking spaces.

The site is approximately a ten (10) minute walk to Medical Mile, which is the regions largest employment center. That walk radius also includes a Laker Line BRT station.

Extension of the alleyway to the property, as well as storm water infrastructure, will be paid for by the developer. The parcel is currently entirely vacant.

442 North Park St NE

This Special Land Use (SLU) request is for the expansion of an existing dental office. Operation of office type uses on the ground floor of a property in a TN-TBA (Traditional Neighborhood - Traditional Business Area) requires Special Land Use. The zoning ordinance prefers retail uses over office uses with the intent of creating an active street environment.

The current dental office at this site has been in operation for seventy (70) years! No changes to the hours of operation of the practice are planned.

Some modification to the windows of the building will be performed, as it is a medical practice, and patient privacy and federal HIPAA regulations must be considered. These modifications will be to extend the same window treatments which are in place for the portion of the site currently used by the dental office.

1108 Merritt St SE

This is a Special Land Use request to construct a duplex consisting of a two (2) bedroom unit and a single (1) bedroom unit.

Parking will be provided via an alley, with three (3) spaces. Given that no unit has more than two (2) bedrooms only 1.5 parking spaces are required per unit, for a total of three (3) parking spaces. No parking waiver is required.

The duplex (26ft x 44ft) at 1,144sq/ft - no different in footprint than a sacred single-unit building - will occupy 23% of the lot area (40ft x 125ft; 5,000sq/ft). Another ~10% of the lot will be parking. Including the porch (~168sq/ft), parking, and the structure itself ~60% of the property will be greenspace.

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