City of Petoskey seeks public opinion on possible change to commercial height requirements
PETOSKEY — In a continued effort to increase density, the city is looking to its residents to provide feedback on a possible ordinance amendment that would loosen height restrictions for the commercial zone on Spring Street, allowing for four-story buildings instead of two.
The zone consists of 11 lots along Spring Street and intersects with Lawrence Street, Hillcrest Avenue and Morgan Street. Current restrictions limit building height to two-stories, or 25 feet. If the amendment is approved, all other zoning requirements like setbacks and parking will remain the same.
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The B-3a district is intended to be for commercial use, primarily lodging as it is just outside of downtown Petoskey. The district is near the amenities most tourists look for when booking hotels, without being in the downtown area.
The primary goal of this change would be to allow for more freedom for future development of hotels. Included in this zone is the former site of the America's Best Value Inn at 1300 Spring St., which burned down in 2019 and has not yet been slated for redevelopment. Also in this district is the Apple Tree Inn, which already has four floors, which it likely had before the current zoning went into effect.
By allowing additional height, businesses like hotels can offer more rooms and increase the short term density for the city. Lodging in the city tends to fill up quickly, especially during high-traffic periods like July 4.
“If we want hotels here, and I think we do, we are a vacation community, we need to offer (more) height. It gives the options and it just encourages, ‘Alright, well, we do want hotels, but we want them over here,’” city planner Zach Sompels said.
Building height is often restricted in Petoskey in order to preserve the view of the lake. When traveling south towards Lake Michigan through the B-3a District along Spring Street (U.S. 31), the road slopes downward, offering a view of the lake from the road.
“Having the height wouldn't block anyone's view of the lake because there's still a 50-foot setback. So even coming down the road, you're gonna see the lake,” Sompels said.
An agenda memo for the June 16 planning commission meeting describes the change as, “a relatively non-intrusive way to help increase density while still keeping small town character without the allowance of high rises. The changes in elevation from the road in many of the locations are enough that a three-story building would appear similar to a two-story one.”
Sompels said he encourages anyone with questions, concerns or comments of support to reach out to him directly or come to the next planning commission meeting on Sept. 15 to offer public comment on the issue, which will be on the agenda.
Sompels can be reached by email at zsompels@petoskey.us or by phone at (231) 347-2500 ext. 1118. The planning commission will hold its next meeting at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 15 in the city council chambers on the second floor of city hall. Planning commission meetings are not live streamed. The agenda for the meeting is not yet publicly available but will be posted on the city website closer to the meeting.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Petoskey seeks public input on height restrictions
