Five ordinances were presented to the Northville City Council last week by members of the city planning commission. Each of the ordinance revisions were presented for first readings by council members. The second reading, and pending official adoption, of each of the ordinances will be scheduled and take place at a future meeting of the council. No dates for the second readings or formal adoptions of the changes to city ordinances was announced.
Among those presented was a revision to the open front space regulations. The proposed language brings all residential areas into compliance with an ordinance that requires homeowners to keep a certain percentage of open space in the front of their home and not have disproportionate circular driveways or paved concrete areas that are too large for the space.
Also under consideration is an amendment to the apartment size ordinance. The changes would affect those units in the Central Business District where new builds or remodeled units would be allowed to be of smaller square footage, due to space restrictions of many older buildings.
The council is also considering a change to the parking credit rules. This ordinance change would adjust parking credits for each building in the Central Business District to allow enough parking spaces for buildings that switch to a new use - as when office space becomes a restaurant. The ordinance modifies the parking credit requirement to one parking space for every 250 square feet of use, down from the previous 200 square feet of use.
Two ordinance changes regarding fences are also being considered. One change defines the fence material, height and compatible materials; the other removes the fence ordinance from the municipal code and keeps it solely as a zoning ordinance.
The council members will also consider a change to the current regulations regarding historic preservation.
Ford Field and four lots along Main Street between Hutton and 341 E. Main St. are to be added back into the Historic District boundary, along with the parcel next to Ford Field that houses the play structure at Fort Griswold and parking lot.
All the changes in ordinances can be viewed in detail at http://www.ci.northville.mi.us.
