Density Limits, Water District, Housing, FishPass & More on City Agenda

The new board of Traverse City commissioners will get down to business with their first major agenda Monday – tackling a variety of topics including dwelling density limits in several districts, a water agreement with Garfield Township, two housing-related items, a FishPass update, and closed sessions to discuss firefighter bargaining agreements and a periodic review of Interim City Manager Benjamin Marentette.

Density Limits
Commissioners Monday will receive an introduction and schedule a possible December 1 vote on ordinance changes to remove dwelling density limits in several districts.

The changes, supported by the city’s planning commission, were initiated when applicant Scott Jozwiak asked to remove residential density limits in hospital (H) districts. Those districts have a maximum density limit of 29 dwelling units per acre, but Jozwiak pointed out that the purpose of such districts is to “accommodate medical centers, hospitals, and related functions, including supportive housing types. Regulating dwelling density in this district does not serve a clear planning objective and, in practice, poses an unnecessary constraint to redevelopment opportunities.”

According to a memo from planning staff, the city’s new master plan demonstrates “a strong need for more housing. The lack of housing is impacting almost every employer segment in the region, and Munson is no exception. Allowing more housing availability in proximity of the hospital may improve the delivery of healthcare services.” The city has already been moving in recent years toward removing density limits, City Planning Director Shawn Winter previously said. Focus has shifted instead to regulating the outside of buildings – like their setbacks and height – “leaving the division of the interior space to developers/property owners to meet evolving market demands,” the staff memo states.

Jozwiak’s request prompted the planning commission to look at a handful of other districts that still have density limits, including the NMC and Hotel Resort districts. Should city commissioners support the changes, density limits would be removed in those districts along with hospital districts.

Water Agreement
Commissioners Monday will consider approving an agreement with Garfield Township for a water pressure district at the Grand Traverse Commons/Historic Barns. The city and township have worked for over a year to fix water pressure issues in the area, which is “split about 50/50 between city and township customers,” according to City Attorney Lauren Trible-Laucht.

Infrastructure upgrades were recently made using city funds, which will be reimbursed by the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority. “The improved pressure will increase fire flows and allow the Historic Barns to utilize its recently renovated space as well as provide improved water pressure and quality to the entire Commons district,” according to Trible-Laucht.

The city and township must now approve an agreement outlining who owns and operates the district going forward. According to the proposed terms, Garfield Township will purchase the infrastructure (lines, valves, hydrants, and more) at a cost of just under $408,000 and take over the district once the city’s reimbursement is complete. Grand Traverse County’s Department of Public Works will provide metering and billing services, with sewer funds distributed to the city. Until the transition is complete, the city will continue to bill for water and sewer – and will not count that water against the township’s capacity until the township takes over.

Once the transfer is complete, any new connections will become township water customers. If Garfield Township ever decides to build its own separate water treatment plant in the future, the district will revert to the city. Trible-Laucht calls the agreement a “financially responsible result that is fair to the city and township and also provides improved water service, pressure, and quality to the residents of this district.”

Also at Monday’s meeting…
> Commissioners will vote to approve two housing-related items. The first is an extension of a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) agreement approved by the commission two years ago for East Bay Flats. Goodwill Northern Michigan is converting that site into supportive housing and has been going through an extensive application process to secure state funding. Funding approval is expected soon, which “will allow them to provide 64 permanent housing vouchers for the community for 15 years,” according to Trible-Laucht. However, the application took so long that the commission’s PILOT resolution from 2023 is expiring, requiring commissioners to approve it again. Commissioners will also vote to abandon two obsolete city wells and related easements at Orchardview Apartments. That development is now on city water service and expanding, with the former old water infrastructure to be removed during construction.

> Commissioners will hear an update Monday on FishPass from principal engineer and scientist Dan Zielinski. According to meeting materials, phase one of construction – including the new arc-labyrinth weir – is complete at the former Union Street Dam site. Phase two, which includes a new fish-sorting channel, is under construction now and scheduled to be complete later next year. That will be immediately followed by phase three, “focusing on all upland/dry amenities. like the research and education building, outdoor pavilion, and native landscaping.” Materials note that updated costs for phase three are still being developed. “While we do not yet know the final project costs, the Great Lakes Fishery Commission has been good stewards of its resources, and planned adequate contingencies in order to complete FishPass,” documents state.

> Finally, commissioners will go into closed session Monday for two separate items. One is a periodic performance review of Interim City Manager Benjamin Marentette, who requested such recurring check-ins when he accepted the appointment in July. Commissioners will also discuss collective bargaining negotiations for the city firefighters association. They are not expected to take action on those agreements Monday but could do so December 1. Notable for that closed session is that because newly elected Commissioner Kenneth Funk is a city firefighter, “he will not participate in discussion of that item or in the closed session or any vote on that item,” Trible-Laucht tells The Ticker.