Houghton will move forward with rezoning a five-acre parcel in west Houghton. Last night, the City Council approved rezoning a 5-acre lot in the Waterworks Neighborhood from R-1 to R-3. The Houghton Housing Commission requested the zoning change with anticipation of developing a set of duplex and fourplex developments near an existing HHC development.
The Waterworks property presents an opportunity for us to help fill a housing gap. Our proposal is to develop a small number of high-quality duplexes and fourplexes that are attractive, energy efficient homes that blend into the neighborhood and respect the surrounding character of the area. These will not be high density apartments or transient rentals. They will be well managed workforce homes for people who live and work in the home area. – Sherry Hughes, Executive Director, Houghton Housing Commission
Neighbors living in surrounding areas have described the planning commission process as incomplete, not taking into consideration the public’s concerns.
The residents have been told the city is following the process. Holding the meetings is not following the process. The zoning ordinances are very clear about the seventeen factors that should be considered when making the request. – Dean Johnson, Resident, Houghton
City Councilor Mike Needham explained this is just the start of a long process developers might need to move forward with a project. After the city council approves rezoning, any developer working on a project would need to return to the planning commission for site plan review. Adding more opportunities for the public to address concerns and providing developers the chance to fit a project to the needs and desires of both residents and neighbors.
We absolutely confirm that infrastructure in an area will support a development before we allow a development to happen, or we have a development agreement that includes addressing inadequate infrastructure. That won’t be an issue. We’ve been working on stormwater issues for a long time, especially since Eric’s been here as city manager. We have a lot of planning commission work. We have a person on the planning commission together with the whole planning commission that did lot of work on stormwater management and planning. And we continue to do that. It’s never ending in a city that’s on a hill. It’s just never ending. – Mike Needham, Councilor, City of Houghton
Councilor Buck Foltz agreed with Needham, adding that the many concerns have already been taken into consideration as a result of recent public hearings. Adding more details between the public, Houghton Housing Commission, and the city will come to light as the process of development works in its course.
I would like to see those concerns. If somebody lives right next to a project, they should probably be someone that we could work together with so that everybody was as happy as they could be. This is part of what happens. Unless you want to buy the whole town and live there and by yourself, you gotta assume you’re going to have neighbors. – Buck Foltz, Councilor, City of Houghton
The Waterworks rezoning will have conditions placed on the project scope. The three conditions will place an ownership restriction on the property, require the Housing Commission to design a driveway that is not located on the east side of the property, near the entrance of waterworks drive, to minimize traffic in the existing waterworks neighborhood, and will have a principal use restriction. The last condition requires the project fit the character of the existing neighborhood by restricting uses such as renting to groups like fraternities or sororities, short-term rentals, home based businesses, lodge halls, etc. The next Houghton Planning Commission will occur next Tuesday at 5 pm in city center.
