Midland · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in City of Midland public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Parking reconfiguration at 315 McDonald Street apartment building
The owners of a renovated eight-unit apartment building lost permission to use a neighbor's driveway and now need a new curb cut on MDOT-controlled E. Buttles Street plus redesigned parking. They say the delays and stormwater requirements are costly while they can't lease units without parking.
Dial-A-Ride Bus Purchase
A new light-duty cutaway bus is up for purchase to keep the Dial-A-Ride transit service running for riders who depend on it.
Cemetery Fee Ordinance Amendment
Midland Cemetery fees haven't changed in 24 years, and the cemetery only recovers about a quarter of its costs. The proposed increase is 20% for residents and 50% for non-residents, plus a new premium rate for winter or after-hours burials. Only about 770 plots remain — the cemetery is nearly full.
Landfill equipment replacements
The city is buying four vehicles — a fire pickup, parks van, forestry lift truck and wastewater sludge hauler — for about $531,000 combined through state cooperative pricing.
Rezoning of Tittabawassee River Road properties
Three residential parcels were shifted to agricultural zoning, locking in their low-intensity use. The property owner supported the change and no one objected at the hearings.
Downtown Development Authority Lot D reconstruction
The downtown Lot D parking area and lift station drive will be repaved for about $133,000.
Rezoning of Prairie Creek Drive and Laughton Drive properties
Two single-family residential properties could be rezoned to agricultural under Zoning Petition 674. Neighbors would get a chance to comment at the public hearing before any decision.
4705 Bay City Road rezone and parking code rewrite
Hearings were set for November 23 on rezoning part of 4705 Bay City Road to Regional Center zoning and on a full overhaul of the city's parking and loading rules.
Overhaul of city parking requirements
A study found Midland parking lots average only 43% full at peak, meaning developers have been required to build far more parking than needed. The new rules would cut minimums, allow shared parking and infill flexibility, and add bike parking and pedestrian safety standards citywide.