The South Haven City Council has rejected an updated master plan after hearing concerns from residents about proposed zoning changes in the document.
At its regular meeting on Monday, council members were told the planning commission approved the updated plan after about a year and a half of work. Zoning Administrator Kelly Dissette said the changes seek to reflect current city goals.
“We updated demographic information,” Dissette said. “We added that coastal resilience chapter. We conducted a public survey. We had a housing specific workshop with [consultant] Ryan Kilpatrick. We then had a public input open house in this room.”
However, residents in the area of Bunde’s Bakery, at 89 North Shore Drive, were concerned about the proposed rezoning of the property to commercial from its current status of residential with a special carve-out for use as a bakery. They want the property kept residential. Council member Mary Hosley said the updated master plan shouldn’t be advanced until those concerns are addressed.
“That once it is rezoned, anything allowed under that new zoning district can be allowed,” Hosley said. “And so it can be a higher intense use. That is the concern that I am gleaning from the comments.”
Hosley identified several other zoning concerns, many related to specific properties.
The council declined to approve the updated master plan and sent it back to the planning commission with a list of requested changes. They include addressing the Bunde’s issue and the identifying the potential location of mobile home communities and Missing Middle housing.
