Traverse City planning commissioners will review 2026 and start setting priorities for 2027 at their 6pm meeting tonight (Tuesday) at the Governmental Center. One long-running goal – to create a riparian buffer ordinance – is ready to move forward, with city commissioners to review a draft in December. Other goals related to housing, zoning updates, development standards, and EV regulations will likely carry into next year.

The city adopted a new master plan in 2024, which includes an action plan “detailing items for the city to accomplish over the next five years,” according to City Planning Director Claire Karner. “Annually, the planning commission reviews the action plan and sets goals for the coming year. While some of the actions included in the action plan are not under the purview of the planning commission, many of them require input and leadership from the commission.”

The goal listed as the “highest level priority for completion in 2026” was finishing a riparian buffer ordinance. That new set of rules for waterfront properties has been in development for years. The ordinance as drafted would increase river and lake setbacks and tighten up setback requirements for accessory buildings and encroachments, like patios, decks, drive aisles, and parking. New setbacks and rules for creekside properties are also proposed. The ordinance is set to go to city commissioners for a study session in December.

Planning commissioners completed several other goals in 2026. They approved new zoning standards for drive-thrus and other auto-centric uses like car washes and gas/service stations, changing them from a use by right to a special land use permit (SLUP). That has already affected projects this year. Tommy’s Express Car Wash withdrew its plans to build at the corner of Garfield and East Front, choosing to eschew the SLUP process. Nicolet National Bank became the first development to go through the new SLUP review, applying to build new headquarters on East Front.

The planning commission also updated daycare rules, making all types of child care centers a use by right in all zoning districts. Addressing child care is a key issue in the city’s strategic action plan. Both sets of zoning changes went through city commissioners for final approval.

Work on other goals this year will likely continue into 2027. One is creating standards for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, including addressing EV infrastructure as part of private site plan approvals and requiring parking areas for new commercial and multifamily developments to be EV-ready. Staff are working through the Charging Smart Program, which outlines national best EV practices, to “create a comprehensive EV policy and regulatory framework” to be reviewed by planning and city commissioners.

Several other zoning items are listed as having “no progress” in 2026 or only preliminary discussion. Those could also be revisited in 2027. They include developing preapproved plan sets – called pattern book homes – as well as building design standards for new commercial development, including building materials. Setback standards, planned unit development (PUD) rules, a review of zoning districts for possible updates, a rezone of West Front Street from Pine to Division, and the establishment of a development (D) zone along Fourteenth Street are all on the list.

The planning commission has been interested in refreshing the zoning ordinance overall to consolidate rules, shorten the length, and use tables and other visual cues to make it easier to understand. The number of zoning amendments under consideration combined with the desire to update the format could lend itself well to a zoning rewrite, says Karner, though that would need planning and city commission support.

City commissioners will weigh in on a key zoning issue – short-term rentals (STRs) – at their November 16 meeting. That could include caps that significantly reduce the number of STRs allowed in different zoning districts. Planning commissioners have already reviewed the changes and forwarded them to the city commission for consideration. City and planning commissioners are expected to have a joint meeting in January to discuss “topical issues of shared concern,” as another goal on the list is to improve communications.

Improving communications is a category that includes unfinished goals like creating a development dashboard to publicly track new development progress and finding ways to better advertise public hearings and allow residents to ask questions or share concerns. The planning commission tried holding community office hours at different locations and times of day this year but only saw sparse attendance. They’ll discuss that program tonight and look at other ways of increasing public outreach. 

The planning commission’s 2027 goal setting is expected to continue into December – with priorities to be finalized in January following the joint city/planning meeting.