2026 project highlight

Client: Byron Township, Michigan (Kent County)
Year: 2026
Status: Adopted September 14, 2026
Consultant: Horizon Community Planning- David Jirousek, MCP, AICP

Project Overview

Horizon Community Planning worked with Byron Township to update its Zoning Ordinance, which was adopted on September 14, 2026. From 2025 through 2026, the project focused on improving organization, modernizing development regulations, streamlining administrative procedures, and addressing emerging land use issues. The ordinance was reorganized into a more accessible format, with clarified zoning requirements, consolidated regulations, and updated development review procedures.

The update maintained the Township's general zoning framework while improving regulatory consistency, reducing unnecessary development barriers, and strengthening standards for residential, commercial, industrial, and emerging land uses. The project included extensive ordinance drafting, policy analysis, and coordination with Township representatives, the Planning Commission, and the Township Board.

Key Project Accomplishments

Comprehensive Ordinance Reorganization

• Reorganized the Zoning Ordinance into 35 chapters, including separate chapters for individual zoning districts, consolidated land use definitions and specific use standards, dedicated development review procedures, and clarified dimensional measurement requirements.

Improved Development Review Processes and Administrative Efficiency 

• Established procedures allowing administrative site plan approval for by-right developments that comply with ordinance requirements. 
• Created a separate Planning Commission review process for modifications and waivers
• Established a Major Special Land Use classification requiring Planning Commission recommendation and Township Board approval.

Expanded and Improved Residential Allowances

• Created a Residential-Mixed (R-M) zoning district accommodating attached townhomes. 
• Established consistent density, frontage, and building separation standards for conventional condominium developments.

Updated and Improved Planned Unit Development and Open Space Standards

• Limited typical PUD modifications to 10% deviations from ordinance standards.
• Refined Open Space PUD requirements, preservation standards, and approval criteria to encourage meaningful open space preservation.

Updated and Improved Development Standards

• Updated selected commercial and industrial setbacks, landscaping, lighting, parking, signage, and general development regulations. The revisions addressed recurring administrative issues, reduced excessive landscaping requirements, and clarified standards for recreational vehicles, trailers, electric vehicle charging stations, and snow storage. 
• Developed standardized private residential street cross sections, defined pavement dimensions, sidewalk placement, and consistent building setback measurements. 
• Established sidewalk requirements for both sides of new streets, with flexibility for site-specific waivers.

Addressed Energy and Emerging Land Uses

• Developed separate regulatory standards for large-scale solar energy facilities and battery energy storage systems (BESS). These provisions addressed Michigan Public Act 233, infrastructure capacity, utility coordination, environmental impacts, land-use compatibility, and protections for surrounding properties.
• Developed regulatory standards for data centers addressing infrastructure capacity, utility coordination, water consumption, cooling technologies, noise, and compatibility with surrounding properties.

Project Outcomes

Delivered a comprehensively reorganized Zoning Ordinance that streamlines development review, clarifies regulatory requirements, and provides a framework for responsible growth and emerging land uses.