City Commissioners to Consider West End RFP, Precinct Move, Opera House Improvements, Local Control Resolution

Traverse City commissioners will tackle a packed agenda tonight (Monday) that includes issuing a request-for-proposals to find developers for city-owned land on the west side of downtown, relocating a city voting precinct, approving a new roof and liquor license for the City Opera House, and issuing a resolution opposing legislation that would preempt local control on several housing issues.

West End RFP
Commissioners will consider voting tonight to issue a request-for-proposals (RFP) to find a developer to redevelop six city-owned parcels on State and Pine streets on the west side of downtown.

The RFP draft states that the city is looking to develop “public parking and workforce housing” on the parcels, which were long envisioned to be the site of a third downtown public parking deck. Public restrooms and space for a Traverse City Police Department substation are also desired. The city is seeking “compensation and/or public benefit for the city’s $7.6 million investment in the land,” according to the RFP, and is “willing to consider a sale, ground lease, or other means of providing property control.” A developer should ideally be willing to “create community” through elements that include “complimentary, quality building design,” “diverse housing price points,” and the “prohibition of short-term rentals,” the RFP states.

City Manager Benjamin Marentette is seeking input from commissioners tonight on whether the scoring rubric matches the commission’s desired criteria. He also wants commissioners to consider the impact of city policies on the project’s financial viability, particularly a requirement that all buildings be 100 percent electrified. The city’s policy does provide for case-by-case exceptions to that requirement, and the impact on the affordability of residential units should be considered, Marentette wrote.

If commissioners approve the RFP, a proposed timeline says it could be posted on April 13 with bids due June 11. Commissioners could select a proposal in July. Commissioners discussed using an RFP process for the properties at multiple recent meetings after developer John Socks proposed to partner with the city to redevelop the sites. Marentette encouraged commissioners to open up the process and seek multiple development proposals “rather than solely negotiating with one party who approached us first.”

Also on tonight’s agenda…
> Commissioners will approve relocating voting precinct four – which is currently on TC Housing Commission property at 10200 East Carter Centre – to the TC Fire Department station on West Front Street. The Housing Commission is getting ready to sell the Carter property, so the Fire Department will serve as the new polling location for both precinct four and precinct one starting with the August 4 election this year. “The location is within close proximity to precinct four boundaries and is expected to provide a convenient and accessible option for voters,” wrote City Clerk Sarah Lutz. Precinct four voters will be notified by mail about the move.

> Commissioners will vote to approve a not-to-exceed contract of $171,600 with Story Roofing (an amount that includes a 10 percent contingency) for a complete replacement of the City Opera House roof. Story Roofing was the second-lowest of eight bids received for the project, with staff recommending it as the “best overall value based on the quality of the materials, product warranties, workmanship warranty, and the overall completeness of the submission.” The project will be covered by the Opera House Fund. Commissioners will also vote to approve an application for the Opera House to obtain its own liquor license. The venue has partnered with outside licensed providers for more than 20 years to serve alcohol at its events. Getting its own liquor license will provide an “additional revenue stream that supports our nonprofit mission,” the application states.

> Commissioners will vote to approve a resolution opposing proposed state legislation that would preempt local control over certain housing issues. The legislation could take away local communities’ abilities to regulate zoning on several fronts, like lot and dwelling sizes, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and duplexes. Supporters have said the changes will encourage more affordable housing, but many local officials – as well as the Michigan Townships Association – have strenuously opposed the move. The city’s resolution states that preemption of local control “hinders residents and their duly elected representatives from making decisions that are in the best interest of the local community.”

> The city will hold the first of two required public hearings on the 2026-27 action plan for its Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding. This is the second year the city has qualified for CDBG funding. While the city is still waiting to hear how much federal funding it will receive this year, the plan outlines four priority areas where money will be spent. Those include rental assistance/rehabilitation of affordable housing units, public infrastructure improvements (like sidewalk infill), shelter/homelessness services support, and program administration. A second public hearing is planned for May 11, which is when city commissioners will vote to approve the plan.

> Finally, commissioners will consider submitting a $161,050 grant to the state’s Water Resources Division to address “accelerated flooding, coastal erosion, and destabilized shoreline banks along East and West Grand Traverse Bays and the Boardman-Ottaway River corridor from Grand Traverse Bay upstream to the Union Street Dam,” according to the proposed motion. A staff memo says the project will “assess shoreline vulnerabilities and develop a coastal resiliency plan for public and private shoreline parcels,” as well as identify risks from fluctuating water levels and coastal erosion and identify “nature-based strategies, policy recommendations, and conceptual projects to address these challenges.”

Pictured: City properties held for a downtown parking deck/mixed-use development. Photo credit: TC DDA.