CEDAR SPRINGS, Mich. — The Cedar Springs City Council has updated zoning laws in the downtown business district to accommodate residential properties better.
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On June 9, the city council changed zoning for properties along the west side of First Street from business to residential. The council also changed zoning for properties along the east side of Second Street to mixed-use residential.
The changes take effect July 1.
"We're conforming to what the master plan was trying to accomplish; we're enacting what the citizens told us they wanted," said Darla Falcon, Cedar Springs city manager.
The zoning update addresses a problem with non-conforming properties in the district. Before the change, homes destroyed by natural disasters or fires could not be rebuilt because they didn't conform to the business zoning designation.
"A lot of houses are along this side, and we want that to stay housing," Falcon said.
The new zoning laws will allow destroyed homes to be rebuilt and enable properties to be sold as residential rather than non-conforming properties.
"So, knowing they can rebuild if that house burns down, people are going to be investing in these properties; that's what we want, new, you know, new people coming to town, people staying in town that call Cedar Springs their home, it gives them options," Falcon said.
The changes are part of the city's effort to implement its master plan based on citizen input.
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