DELTA TWP. — Township officials have voted to allow developments featuring homes as small as 440 square feet.
The move to amend the township's zoning ordinance to allow for higher-density housing developments with smaller or "cottage homes," was approved by the Board of Trustees in June.
I do like this concept a bit better than the whole "tiny home" trend, which I find is mostly a waste of land if you're only allowing one per traditionally-sized lot. This feels like you might be able to get a tighter cluster of homes around a share cul-de-sac, courtyard or something. I'd have to look more into this, but the rendering they showed of the South Carolina example makes me think it's a better concept:
Seems like a positive thing. The article states that the ordinance requires 10' between buildings and 20' from the rear property line so it sounds like it allows for close spacing.
One of the most interesting and unique abandoned properties in the entire metro area may be falling into the hands of Eaton County's Land Bank. Details are unclear and there's no mention if the Land Banks acquisition of the properties may mean more buildings could be saved, but at least it's a step in the right direction. If most of this complex could be saved and properly restored the future development would have an amazing industrial atmosphere to it, it'd be a huge boon for downtown Eaton Rapids.
In case any of you aren't very familiar with Eaton Rapids, it has a great little downtown positioned in a pretty cool spot essentially on an island in the Grand River. There's a lot of potential for it to become one of the more desirable small towns in the area, particularly if they can restore their namesake rapids someday.
I agree that the mill building in downtown Eaton Rapids has a great potential to be a really cool place. My Grand Father lived in Albion and we went through Eaton Rapids often when there was still a mill there. I can remember seeing blankets and cloth on display in the windows. We always stopped at Miller's Ice Cream shop right next to the mill. These days Eaton Rapids seems a bit run down to me and would benefit greatly from redeveloping the mill buildings. The town is still really pretty with a lot of big trees the river and Victorian houses just waiting to be fixed up.
Not exactly earth shattering but at 354 units it seems worth mentioning: A new 30 acre suburban-style apartment complex on N Canal adjacent to the Canal Club apartments. I have no opinion other than to say it's nice to see more units in the area and generally nice to see any property within the freeway loop fill in. I have all the typical criticisms I'd normally have for an unimaginative suburban development like this but if people keep choosing to live in these sorts of things who am I to stop them?
Like you said, it's inside the freeway loop and it's a huge up-zoning of the area from the lowest-density single-family home district to the highest residential density district, so I don't have much complaints. Only stuff I've been really disappointed by out that way is Marketplace & Delta Crossings. Even then, a lot of the accompanying residential development east of Broadbent has been multi-family or attached single-family. But, yeah, they REALLY need to work and focus on the decade's long concept they've had forever to turn the Lansing Mall area in the township into a proper suburban town center.
Mclaren is going to build a $40 million facility near Grand Ledge at Saginaw & Nixon that will include an emergency room. It will be about a 34k sq ft building on 4 acres, construction will begin this summer.
Comments
Delta Township officials approve measures to allow 'cottage housing.'
I do like this concept a bit better than the whole "tiny home" trend, which I find is mostly a waste of land if you're only allowing one per traditionally-sized lot. This feels like you might be able to get a tighter cluster of homes around a share cul-de-sac, courtyard or something. I'd have to look more into this, but the rendering they showed of the South Carolina example makes me think it's a better concept:
In case any of you aren't very familiar with Eaton Rapids, it has a great little downtown positioned in a pretty cool spot essentially on an island in the Grand River. There's a lot of potential for it to become one of the more desirable small towns in the area, particularly if they can restore their namesake rapids someday.
https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2024/01/06/horner-mill-demolition-eaton-rapids-lawsuit-land-bank/72108818007/
Even the old warehouse/factory at the east end of South Street here in Lansing is a good example of how you can repurpose these buildings.
https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2024/03/13/canal-club-apartments-expansion-delta-township/72883767007/?fbclid=IwAR21QKAvQMSy05mtDkkhcMoCIb2Mu5Mn-wQpLK26P8JLJDYot5hspIBjtj0
Site plan on page 16:
https://cms9files.revize.com/deltatwpmi/Document_Center/Committee Agendas and Minutes/PC/March 11 2024 Planning Commission Agenda Packet.pdf
https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2024/03/19/mclaren-new-emergency-department-medical-campus-grand-ledge/73017579007/?fbclid=IwAR1JxljBq-HfSxGYk6C_fyO-CDI_nAd2D7LGVFNrBVkZCLrYgNfZD4r4t58
https://www.wlns.com/news/local-news/mclaren-announces-40-million-medical-campus-in-grand-ledge/