By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
The Zeeland City Council Monday unanimously adopted sweeping changes to the city’s demolition ordinance, including removing a requirement that applications for tearing down homes go through a public hearing before the Planning Commission.
Council approved two separate resolutions – one adding in new regulations to the ordinance, a second deleting sections of the ordinance that has been in place for 25 years.
The biggest change is that the city’s zoning administrator will now review and approve future demolition requests when a new structure that complies with city zoning is proposed to replace the building to be torn down. Up until now, the Planning Commission was required to hold a public hearing on all demolition applications of structures greater than 800 square feet in area and approve the requests.
Also added to the ordinance is a requirement that all demolitions be completed within 30 days and that they must be done by a licensed contractor.
“There are currently no requirements for how quickly a demolition must be completed after approval,” Community Development Director Tim Maday wrote in a memo to City Manager Tim Klunder.
“City ordinance also currently lacks other performance requirements (such as) restoration, hours of work, removal of debris/ basements, etc.”
The council approved the original demolition ordinance in 2000 in response to several demolition requests from churches and schools that had bought neighboring homes and asked to have them torn down so they could expand their footprint. At the time, the ordinance’s goal was “preservation of homes within residential districts,” the original ordinance language said.
“Under current ordinance, for the demolition of a residential building to be permitted, the Planning Commission must find that the existing dwelling cannot be reasonably used by anyone. This includes situations where a home is proposed to be demolished and replaced by a new dwelling,” Maday wrote.
The City Council in November of last year approved a six-month moratorium on the demolition of homes in the city at the request of the Planning Commission. Commissioners approved a first reading of the changes in early March and passed a resolution earlier this month, sending them to council for final action.
“Staff believes that the … ordinance amendments will allow the natural replenishment of housing stock in the city of Zeeland, while also establishing regulations to ensure the demolitions are conducted in a safe, efficient manner that does not negatively affect adjacent properties,” Maday wrote.
The ordinance amendments are expected to go into effect next month.
Zeeland Record
The Zeeland City Council Monday unanimously adopted sweeping changes to the city’s demolition ordinance, including removing a requirement that applications for tearing down homes go through a public hearing before the Planning Commission.
Council approved two separate resolutions – one adding in new regulations to the ordinance, a second deleting sections of the ordinance that has been in place for 25 years.
The biggest change is that the city’s zoning administrator will now review and approve future demolition requests when a new structure that complies with city zoning is proposed to replace the building to be torn down. Up until now, the Planning Commission was required to hold a public hearing on all demolition applications of structures greater than 800 square feet in area and approve the requests.
Also added to the ordinance is a requirement that all demolitions be completed within 30 days and that they must be done by a licensed contractor.
“There are currently no requirements for how quickly a demolition must be completed after approval,” Community Development Director Tim Maday wrote in a memo to City Manager Tim Klunder.
“City ordinance also currently lacks other performance requirements (such as) restoration, hours of work, removal of debris/ basements, etc.”
The council approved the original demolition ordinance in 2000 in response to several demolition requests from churches and schools that had bought neighboring homes and asked to have them torn down so they could expand their footprint. At the time, the ordinance’s goal was “preservation of homes within residential districts,” the original ordinance language said.
“Under current ordinance, for the demolition of a residential building to be permitted, the Planning Commission must find that the existing dwelling cannot be reasonably used by anyone. This includes situations where a home is proposed to be demolished and replaced by a new dwelling,” Maday wrote.
The City Council in November of last year approved a six-month moratorium on the demolition of homes in the city at the request of the Planning Commission. Commissioners approved a first reading of the changes in early March and passed a resolution earlier this month, sending them to council for final action.
“Staff believes that the … ordinance amendments will allow the natural replenishment of housing stock in the city of Zeeland, while also establishing regulations to ensure the demolitions are conducted in a safe, efficient manner that does not negatively affect adjacent properties,” Maday wrote.
The ordinance amendments are expected to go into effect next month.
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