Portage residents will get a chance to shape the future of their neighborhoods this week. The Portage City Council will hold a public hearing Tuesday, June 23, at 6 p.m. at Portage City Hall to consider sweeping changes to the city's residential zoning rules.

The proposed Unified Development Ordinance, or UDO, would replace development regulations that in some cases date back to the 1960s. City officials say the current system is a patchwork of outdated standards that no longer serve the community.

What the new rules would change

The draft ordinance proposes several changes that could affect how homes are built and where they are placed across Portage.

  • Smaller lot sizes and setbacks would be allowed in residential areas, enabling more housing units on the same amount of land
  • A wider variety of housing types would be permitted, moving beyond single-family detached homes
  • Narrower residential streets and curves are recommended to free up space for housing lots
  • Clustered development would be incentivized in larger projects to preserve natural areas and green space

According to the city, the changes aim to provide greater flexibility to meet housing needs while protecting neighborhood character and the environment.

The UDO has been developed to modernize the city's zoning, subdivision, and condominium development codes and create a more cohesive framework to guide future growth in Portage.

The statement comes from the City of Portage's June 17 news release.

State grant behind the reform

The Michigan State Housing Development Authority provided a grant to the City of Portage as an incentive to promote and enact residential zoning reforms, according to the city's news release. The grant helped fund the work done by Kendig Keast Collaborative (KKC), the firm the city partnered with to develop the draft standards.

The Planning Commission held a series of meetings in March and April to review the proposed zoning updates. The commission has recommended approval of the ordinance to the City Council, according to the city.

Two-phase rollout

The residential zoning portion is the first phase of the UDO project. After the public hearing on June 23, the Portage City Council will consider adoption of the new UDO. A second phase addressing commercial and mixed-use zoning districts is expected later this year, city officials said.

The proposed changes also implement key recommendations from the Portage Forward Together 2045 Master Plan, the city's long-range planning document.

How residents can participate

Residents and property owners are encouraged to attend the public hearing in person at 7900 South Westnedge Avenue. Draft materials and an online comment submission form are available at portagemi.gov/960, according to the city.

Contact information for the city's Chief Development Officer, Pete Dame, is (269) 329-4400, per the city's news release.