Amendments to the Zoning Ordinance and Map(Rezonings)
Planning & Zoning Application  
Planning & Zoning Application Page 2(Variances Only)
Each parcel of property in the City of Muskegon is located
within a zoning classification district in the City's Zoning
Ordinance. The zoning districts and other provisions of the
ordinance regulate land uses within the City and determine
what each property can be used for. There are two principal
purposes of zoning:
- The protection of existing land uses
- Providing for future growth and development.
Zoning is based on an adopted long- range community plan
called the Master Land Use Plan. As growth and change
occur over time, it may become appropriate to modify the
provisions of the Zoning Ordinance or change the zoning
classification for property on the Official Zoning Map. The
procedures or steps for considering and making these
changes are as follows:
- (1) Any person desiring an amendment or change(rezoning) in the map or in any other provision of
the Zoning Ordinance, may submit an application requesting a change to the Zoning Administrator and pay the required
fee established by oridinance($250). An application form is available above or in the Planning Office.
- (2) The application is then referred to the Planning Department to schedule a public
hearing by the Planning Commission and give notice of the hearing by publication in the
Muskegon Chronicle and by mailing to each property owner and tenant of record within three hundred
feet of the property involved. Such notice is given fifteen days before the hearing. (The
Planning Commission meets at 4 p.m. on Thursday following the second Tuesday of each
month.)
- (3) The Planning Staff gathers information pertaining to the property involved in the
application and surrounding areas, prepares a map, field checks the site, takes photographs
or videos if needed and prepares a staff review report with recommendation to the Planning
Commission. The staff review report will be made available to the applicant.
- (4) The Planning Commission holds the public hearing, at which time the staff review
report, map, photographs, and any other pertinent information is presented. The applicant
is asked to explain the request and then all other interested persons are given an
opportunity to be heard and present objections or support for the requested use. After all
the information is presented, the hearing is closed and the Planning Commission determines
whether the standards of the Zoning Ordinance are met for the proposed use.
Approval may be given subject to reasonable conditions in order to assure compliance with
the intent of the Ordinance. If information presented at the hearing is incomplete, the matter may be
tabled until a later time.
- (5) At their next regular meeting, the City Commission takes action to amend the ordinance
as requested or as modified, or to deny the request. If there is less than a unanimous vote of all
Commissioners in office, a second vote at a later meeting is required for adoption of the amendment.
- (6) If the City Commission adopts a change in zoning, the Planning Staff will record such
change on the Official Zoning Map and will maintain it in the Planning Department office.
The amended ordinance will be published and maintained by the City Clerk.
For assistance or further information regarding the procedures for
zone changes or amendments to the Zoning Ordinance, please contact the Zoning
Administrator or Planning Staff in the Muskegon City Hall by calling (231) 724-6702.
For any questions, please e-mail: lonna.anguilm@postman.org
|
