Bay City schedules public hearing on draft zoning ordinance

Bay City’s City Commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing on a draft zoning ordinance Monday, Aug. 10, at 6 p.m. The commission’s agenda may also include a second reading and possible adoption of the ordinance, but the available city notice does not establish that adoption will occur.

The hearing is scheduled for the City Commission Chambers. If adopted, the ordinance could change the rules governing development and land use across Bay City, affecting future decisions involving property, housing, businesses and other projects. The city has not identified the specific sections or map changes in the final draft in the available notice.

Second zoning discussion is scheduled for Aug. 19

Bay City’s Planning Commission is scheduled to meet Wednesday, Aug. 19, at 6:30 p.m. in the City Commission Chambers. The agenda is expected to include discussion of ordinance amendments concerning data centers.

That meeting represents a separate near-term zoning issue for residents, property owners and prospective employers. The city’s materials describe the Aug. 19 item as a discussion of amendments. They do not say that data centers would be prohibited, approved or otherwise subject to a final decision at that meeting.

Background on the zoning update

Earlier planning materials described the zoning update as part of Bay City’s Redevelopment Ready Communities work. The project is supported by $40,000 in Michigan Economic Development Corporation technical-assistance funds, a $50,000 Housing Readiness Incentive Enhancement Grant and $30,000 in Michigan Municipal League technical-assistance funds.

Those materials identified several goals for the planning work, including modernized zoning language, allowing mixed-use development by right and creating pre-approved housing plans. The same planning materials also described related changes involving zoning and the sign ordinance.

Those goals and funding arrangements describe the planning work; they do not establish that every proposed change has taken effect. The Aug. 10 hearing is the next scheduled City Commission step identified in the city’s notice.

What is known about the next steps

The City Commission may conduct the ordinance’s second reading and consider adoption on Aug. 10. The outcome remains open until the meeting record or an adopted ordinance confirms final action. The Planning Commission’s Aug. 19 discussion is expected to provide a subsequent forum for considering data-center-related amendments, but the available source packet does not identify a final recommendation or adoption date.

For Bay City residents and property owners tracking land-use rules, the two August meetings are the next listed opportunities to follow the draft citywide ordinance and the separate data-center zoning discussion.