2026 project highlight

Client: City of Ferrysburg, Michigan (Ottawa County)
Year: 2026
Status: Adopted July 6, 2026
Consultant: Horizon Community Planning- David Jirousek, MCP, AICP

Project Overview

Horizon Community Planning assisted the City of Ferrysburg with comprehensive amendments to its Zoning Ordinance to expand housing opportunities, reduce development barriers, encourage reinvestment, and better align development regulations with the City's Master Plan. Adopted on July 6, 2026, the amendments modernized residential zoning classifications, dimensional requirements, housing design standards, mixed-use development provisions, planned unit development regulations, and development review procedures. The project emphasized greater flexibility for housing development while maintaining appropriate standards for neighborhood character, compatibility, and site design.

Key Project Accomplishments

Updated Residential Districts and Expanded Housing Opportunities

• Recalibrated minimum lot area, lot width, and building setbacks in three zoning districts and increased allowable lot coverage in certain cases.
• Simplified residential zoning districts into an R-1 through R-5 hierarchy based on housing intensity and density.
• Updated residential use classifications and definitions for greater clarity and consistency.
• Permitted accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in all residential zoning districts.
• Reduced the minimum principal dwelling size to 440 square feet and minimum dwelling widths to accommodate smaller-footprint homes.
• Expanded residential mixed-use opportunities in commercial districts.
• Simplified an overly complex residential overlay district.
• Eliminated mandatory garage requirements.
• Allowed reconstruction of legally nonconforming buildings within their existing footprints.

Modernized Development Review and Housing Incentives

• Classified most housing types as permitted uses, minimizing discretionary review.
• Introduced preliminary planned unit development approvals to provide greater certainty before detailed design investments.
• Replaced the previous planned unit development process with a new framework supporting residential and mixed-use development.
• Established residential density bonuses of up to 20% for qualifying planned unit developments.
• Established optional preliminary special land use review to reduce upfront architectural and engineering costs.

Update Development Standards

• Added downtown architectural articulation and transparency requirements.
• Reduced certain commercial parking, setback, and landscaping requirements.

Project Outcomes

The adopted amendments established a more flexible, predictable, and housing-supportive zoning framework for Ferrysburg. By reducing unnecessary development costs, accommodating a broader range of housing types, streamlining review procedures, and providing incentives for residential development, the project positioned the City to better respond to changing housing needs while maintaining its community character.