BRIGHTON — Housing density in "uptown" Brighton is back up for discussion. Some city councilmembers want to see it dialed back to fewer stories with larger setbacks from existing homes.
Historically, Brighton is a downtown defined by single-family homes. Several years ago, city officials created a new zoning district that allows for medium to high-density residential developments — like multi-story apartments and townhomes — on land between the Mill Pond and the railroad tracks north of Center Street up past Advance Street.
Apartments, townhomes, and flats have been built or are under construction in the district, bringing four and three-story multi-family living options within a short walk of downtown.
Vista at Brighton, a four-story, 231-unit complex on the Mill Pond — the city's largest residential building — is expected to be completed this year at 700 N. Second St. There are also three-story buildings in the district, including the 15-unit Second Street Flats, the eight-unit Uptown on First and four more townhomes under construction on Walnut Street.
Some councilmembers want to see tweaks, including reducing how many stories would be allowed in the uptown district in the future. The council instructed the city's planning commission to review an ordinance on "R5" zoning.
The planning commission began a discussion Monday, July 15, which will continue at future city meetings.
Planning Commission Chair Matt Smith did not respond to a request for comment.
"Not everyone on planning agrees," Susan Gardner, a councilmember who also serves on the planning commission, said.
She would like to see less housing density in the future and recommends reducing the number of stories from four to three in the northern portion of the district, and from three to two stories in the southern portion.
The uptown district was originally created to allow for more urban style living options between downtown and commercial and industrial areas, such as a Meijer store to the north.
"Some think this is an efficient and effective means to turn an area between downtown and (commercial developments to the north) into a 'missing middle,'" for more housing types that require less maintenance, Gardner said.
"Now we have a three-story that is embedded in the single-family homes," she said, referring to townhomes under construction on Walnut Street. "To me, it looks out of place and takes up a lot of the lot. It looks huge."
She is one of four councilmembers who penned letters to the planning commission recommending less density.
Councilmember Ken Schmenk also recommends a change to three stories in the north portion of the district and two stories in the south portion.
Councilmember Renee Pettengill "would like to see the entire area go back to single family," or reduced to two stories for multi-family housing, she wrote in her letter.
In his letter, councilmember Bill Albert points out its not just uptown that's getting developed with new multi-family housing.
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There are also 123 townhomes coming to the former site of Lindbom Elementary and 85 townhomes to Conely Square off Flint Road. In addition, construction firm DA Building is looking to potentially develop land west of the MJR Brighton movie theater near Challis Road with hundreds of new residences — potentially more than 600 — including apartment buildings and townhome-style condos.
"It is safe to say the goal set in 2019 of addressing the 'missing middle' has been met," Albert wrote.
— Contact reporter Jennifer Eberbach at jeberbach@livingstondaily.com.
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