By Dennis Volkert
Sturgis City Commission on Wednesday approved a first review of zoning ordinance amendments.
A second reading and pending approval is expected at the next board meeting, scheduled for Feb. 26.
Staff members and the planning commission have been working on revisions to the city’s code since June 2023. On Dec. 13, 2024, city commissioners approved several content changes.
The planning board held public hearings on Nov. 19, 2024, and Jan. 21, 2025, to review amendments. At each meeting, the board recommended approval to the city commission.
The city’s planning consultant, Beckett & Raeder, also has collaborated with the city to develop major reformatting of the ordinance to make it more “user-friendly.”
When the amended ordinance is approved, it will be accessible on the city’s website.
A primary intent of the update is to help residents find basic information for their zoning district without having to search through multiple sections.
Notable changes in consideration:
Definition of political signs under a broader category of sign definitions, for consistency.
Update to some parking standards for several uses that were not provided with standards in previous versions.
The initiative is part of the city’s commitment as a “Redevelopment Ready Certified Community,” a designation that allows access to funding for projects that improve how residents interact with regulations, according to Will Prichard, community development director.
In a separate matter Wednesday, city commissioners chose an “opt-in” for Michigan Energy Assistance Program, a new Michigan law passed in December 2024. That statewide measure is an updated version of Public Act 95 of 2013, which created the low-income energy assistance fund.
Under the new MEAP law, a city has two options, each which requires providing funds for the energy assistance program for residential customers, either by selecting the state’s program (“opt-in”) or establishing a local program (“opt-out”). Several commissioners suggested it’s more efficient to choose the state program to reduce administrative cost locally.
