Two major development projects – a 110-foot new birthing and pediatrics center at Munson Medical Center and a four-story downtown apartment complex – as well as a proposal to expand the city’s accessory dwelling unit ordinance will come before city planning commissioners for approval next Wednesday (Sept. 7).

Munson Expansion
Munson representatives are seeking a special land use permit (SLUP) from the city to build a 110-foot family birth and children’s center stretching across Sixth Street between the main hospital wing and the Cowell Family Cancer Center. The expansion will allow Munson to modernize and consolidate its women’s and children’s services into one facility, and will include “operating rooms expansion for surgical services and replacements for medical and surgical beds,” according to Munson Facilities Design Manager Doug Wipperman.

The project will require Sixth Street to be vacated and removed between Beaumont Place and Madison Street, with a new street built approximately 200 feet north to reroute traffic. According to City Planning Director Russ Soyring, Munson sits in a H-2 zoning district (hospital district), which allows buildings as high as 110 feet with a SLUP “provided the building location is at least 100 feet west of Elmwood Avenue.” The birthing center site meets those requirements.

Munson first presented development plans in July to planning commissioners, who approved adding the project to the hospital’s Master Site and Facility Plan. That document provides a public record of hospital growth planned in the next five to seven years. While representatives didn’t provide a construction timeline at the meeting, Munson’s decision to immediately pursue a SLUP for the birthing center could help the hospital avoid conflicts with a proposed charter amendment on the November 8 ballot. If approved, that amendment would require voter approval on any buildings over 60 feet tall in city limits.

Planning commissioners will review Munson’s request Wednesday. If the site plans are acceptable, commissioners will vote to set a public hearing on both the SLUP and the Sixth Street vacation for October 4.

Darga Development
After informally introducing a proposed mixed-use development at the former Fifth-Third property on Union Street to planning commissioners at their August 2 meeting, developer Thom Darga will begin the official approval process next week to rezone the property.

Darga is seeking to rezone the land from C-4a to C-4b, a move that would raise the allowed building height from 45 feet to 68 feet. However, Darga has “offered to limit the building height to 60 (feet),” according to Soyring, removing the need for a SLUP. Plans call for the construction of a four-story building with retail/restaurant/office space on the ground floor and rental apartments on the top three floors.

“The structure will be wrapped around an interior parking system providing approximately 400 parking spaces,” according to Darga. The roof of the development will act as a common space for residents and offer recreational activity courts, exercise spaces, garden plots and a walking track with views of Grand Traverse Bay. Darga says apartments in the development will be “of varying sizes and price points” and incorporate views of the bay, Boardman River, and Union and Garland streets.

Commissioners will review Darga’s rezoning request Wednesday and vote on setting an October 4 public hearing on the project.

Accessory Dwelling Units
Planning commissioners Wednesday will also consider expanding the maximum number of new accessory dwelling units (ADUs) that can be built in the city each year from 10 to 20.

The city initially limited ADUS to 10 per year in 2015 as part of a pilot period to evaluate the program. The 10-limit maximum was hit in both 2015 and 2016, and a waiting list of at least 10 is already on deck for 2017. On August 1, City Commissioner Brian Haas asked fellow commissioners to consider eliminating or else expanding the restriction.

"In a time when we are in desperate need of housing choices, this 'test' limit is a barrier to planning by homeowners and arbitrary in nature," Haas said.

Commissioners voted 5-2 to ask the planning commission to consider hosting a public hearing on expanding the ADU limit from 10 to 20. If planning commissioners agree to the request next week, the hearing will be set for October 4.

Planning commissioners meet Wednesday, Sept. 7 at 7:30pm at the Governmental Center.