The TC City Commission continues to push forward, without analysis, the upzoning package. They are not taking the time for due diligence, discussion, or even an explanation of their support for this "progressive" boilerplate. Why can't the City Commission address the residents' concerns? For example:
How will setbacks — without form-based metrics — produce predictable results when we already have examples of how it hasn't worked at all?
How will two primary residents on one lot be taxed?
Where are the requirements for duplexes (stairs, entrances, etc.)?
How is blanket upzoning NOT going to impact our already affordable neighborhoods?
Why the rush for housing at any cost when we're only facing a 2.2% population growth over the next five years?
How do these amendments protect neighborhoods from equity investment?
What is the rationale for the proposed lot width and area numbers?
How does increasing impervious surfaces on smaller lots apply to "broadening housing choices to include context- and scale-appropriate opportunities.” (From the introduction to the proposed Low Density Residential District)
Why, exactly, are they rushing this through ahead of the Master Plan?
Where is the fine-tuning for our city of 15,000, a service hub, surrounded by a population 10 times that size, with the addition of an annual tourism impact of $2.6 billion? Traverse City deserves more.
Write to your Commission, attend the meeting, and help slow the process down to get it right. What’s the rush? Check out Housing Market Summary numbers below.
The TC City Commission is poised to rush through significant zoning changes ahead of the November election. The rational is that new commissioners shouldn’t be burdened with old business. ACTC feels that this accelerated schedule discourages research, discussion and debate, and severely limits any consensus between officials and the residents they serve.
The proposed schedule is:
September 5: Regular Meeting (discussion on if/how to move forward)
September 18: Introduction of proposed amendments
October 16: Vote to adopt
Please write your City Commissioners and share your thoughts: citycommissioners@traversecitymi.gov
The TC City Commission is considering blanket zoning changes to increase population density.
The 2023 Housing Market Summary for Traverse City (generated by Bowen National Research) concludes that there is a "housing gap" in TC of 2,202 units (1,192 owned, 1010 rental) that should be filled between 2022 and 2027.
This is a 25.5% growth rate from the 8,624 housing units reported for 2022 (data is sourced from American Community Survey/U.S. Census).
What we cannot explain is the need for this much housing growth in the TC community that only projects population growth of 2.2%, and household growth of 2.6% over the same 5-year period.
Employment growth is often correlated with housing growth. We were unable to find employment data for TC specifically, but here's the GT County trend (Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics):
2015 46,381 residents employed
2020 44,967 residents employed (down 3.0%)
2022 47,541 residents employed (up 5.7%)
Nothing even close to the recommended growth rate to fill our supposed housing gap.
Where are the Housing Market numbers coming from?
We don’t know. But here’s an interesting fact: the Census Bureau reports that housing density in TC has already risen from 813.9 homes per square mile in year 2000 to 1007.4 homes per square mile in 2020 ... all without benefit of blanket upzoning amendments.
• • • • • • • • •
Email your city commissioners at citycommissioners@traversecitymi.gov and/or come to the August City Commission meeting.
Send ACTC a copy of your email to commissioners on any topic and we will post it on our Correspondence page.
What’s Going On?
In August, the City Commission will begin looking at a package of amendments to our current residential zoning ordinance.
The stated idea behind the package is to add diverse housing options for a diverse population.
This is NOT about adding affordable housing, it’s about adding more market-rate housing. Who benefits?
Affordable Housing
or Adding Diversity?
The City’s upzoning package has been wrapped in layers (and pages) of “affordability crisis” materials which continues to muddy the waters.
How did these apples and oranges end up in the same basket?
Local Housing – Not Enough, Too Much, or Just Right?
It seems clear that the subject of housing in Grand Traverse County is viewed through the lens of attracting more people to live here. “More is better.” “Growth is always good.”
Blanket Upzoning
“The lack of supply and increased demand have led to a misalignment in the housing market and housing costs have exploded as a result, causing increasing levels of housing unaffordability.” —Master Plan 2023 Draft Housing Chapter
Supply and demand aren’t the only factors influencing housing supply in TC.
What do They Mean by “Gentle Infill”?
“Infill” means using available green spaces to add housing. And by “green spaces,” they mean yards. There’s nothing “gentle” about infill if you’re a tree.
Why do we care about trees?
Owner Occupancy
The City is considering allowing ADUs (accessory dwelling units) and duplexes BY RIGHT in all of our neighborhoods, while also removing owner occupancy requirements.
Is this good, bad, or very bad?
More Impervious Surfaces
Many of our TC neighborhoods already experience flooding issues.
If we can’t protect the housing we already have, why are we rushing to add more?
Maybe We Can Use What We Already Have
Let’s work together and creatively to find solutions that might satisfy multiple needs!
Top Five Mistakes to Avoid When Enabling Missing Middle Housing in your City or State: Don’t Get This Wrong
From Opticos Design
What Is A Master Plan?
The goal of the Master Plan is to include our residents in discussions surrounding the future of our community, so that we are more likely to support ongoing projects and be satisfied with their outcomes.
Ready to take the next step?
There are so many changes in the upzoning packet
from allowing 4 dwellings on a lot
to decreasing lot sizes
to allowing duplexes and ADUs by right
Changes affecting the character of the City now and for decades deserve more research and thoughtful debate.
What the Planning Commission endorsed is nothing more than one-size-fits-all boilerplate.
Traverse City’s established neighborhoods and unique ecology deserve more.
