Portage City Council Meeting – June 23, 2026

The meeting was called to order at 4:00 PM UTC by Mayor Randall. The council began with proclamations honoring Kim Phillips as a 2026 Trailblazer in Aging from the National Council on Aging and recognizing winners of the America 250 birthday card contest. The main agenda item was a public hearing and subsequent vote on the Residential Unified Development Ordinance (RUDO), which aimed to modernize residential zoning. The meeting also included approval of a traffic signal maintenance contract, denial of a kitchen renovation for the parks and recreation building, and introduction of an ordinance on emergency police lines.

Consent Calendar

• Items A4, A5, and A6 were removed from the consent agenda for individual consideration. A4 (traffic signal contract) was later approved, while A5 and A6 (kitchen renovation) were denied.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Jen Stroven (early childhood advocate) spoke in support of the Kalamazoo County Childcare Millage on the August ballot, citing that Portage has only 70 licensed child care providers serving about 400 babies and toddlers when the need is approximately 1,300. She noted that Portage employers lose $12–16 million annually due to childcare disruptions and that 70% of childcare workers earn less than $15/hour.
• Rachel Vignalis (candidate for 8th District Court judge) introduced herself and encouraged attention to judicial elections.
• Jay (property owner at 607 Hull Street) complained about a fence on Kingston Avenue that he claims encroaches on the right-of-way, noting a three-month delay in city action and a survey confirming the fence is on the right-of-way. He asked for resolution.
• Dan Cordini (621 Ludington Avenue) thanked City Manager Pat McGuinness for his service and open-door policy.
• Public Hearing on RUDO (approximately 20 speakers):
  • Russ Kreis (4373 Squire Heath) opposed the ordinance, arguing it would rezone existing neighborhoods and allow fourplexes at the end of any street. He requested the ordinance apply only to future developments and asked council members to state they had read the entire document.
  • Less Minor (2514 E Shore Drive) stressed the need for public education on the ordinance before a vote.
  • Leonard Bennett (9044 East Shore Drive) questioned why the ordinance does not exclude 100-year floodplains from high-density development and requested a council of the whole.
  • Richard Nellums (9240 East Shore Drive) requested adjustments to the draft RUDO and a council of the whole, arguing that by-right approvals for multiplexes would lead to inappropriate concentrations of housing.
  • Matt Bastos (6285 Rothbury, technical committee member) supported the ordinance, saying it provides needed flexibility and clarity for developers.
  • Perry Willman (10400 East Shore Drive) urged respect for nature and environmental preservation.
  • Vanessa Messenger (9220 East Shore Drive) and others requested explicit environmental protections and a council of the whole.
  • Kathleen Preebe (9208 East Shore Drive) asked why multiplexes are being pushed into single-family areas when a new RM zone was created for density.
  • Jeff Bessinger (9220 East Shore Drive) suggested restricting development in wetlands and floodplains.
  • Dave Savoy (3520 East Shore Drive) questioned why multiplexes are allowed by-right in single-family neighborhoods and requested data on current RM zone usage.
  • Carolyn Peschick (6745 Shorthand Street) supported the ordinance for allowing smaller housing options for aging residents, but opposed the RN conservation option for overbuilding near floodplains.
  • Caleb (address not given) refuted common claims against the ordinance, citing studies that upzoning does not lower property values and that compact development reduces traffic and infrastructure costs. He urged passage.
  • Kathleen Hayde (3020 East Shore Drive) opposed allowing triplexes and fourplexes in existing neighborhoods and requested a council of the whole.
  • Melissa Vandermeaton (633 Roseview Drive) expressed concern about overdevelopment, citing 10 new developments already underway, and argued Portage should not be responsible for fixing the entire county’s housing crisis. She also noted police understaffing.
  • Timmerless (6862 Shallford Way) supported the ordinance, stating it provides flexibility for different housing types and that builders will build what the market demands.
  • Toby Hannah Davies (address not given) supported the ordinance, sharing her personal housing journey and emphasizing the need for diverse housing options for all stages of life.
  • Charley Davis (Isaac organization) thanked the council and staff, emphasizing housing as a human right and the need for equitable outcomes.
  • Isaac (young person, address not given) supported the ordinance but urged even more liberalization, providing statistics: 42% of Portage renters pay over 30% of income on housing, and 18% pay over 50%. He also noted 18.62% of mortgage holders pay over 30%.
• A letter of support from Kalamazoo County Housing and Planning Directors was read into the record.

Discussion Items

• Presentation on RUDO: Peter Dame (Chief Development Officer) and Terry Urban (former council member) presented the ordinance, which consolidates seven residential zones into four, allows duplexes in RN (residential neighborhood) zones with compatibility standards, introduces a conservation option for new developments over five acres with a 20% open space set-aside, and allows triplexes and fourplexes only in the conservation option as a density bonus. They emphasized that the ordinance does not change building codes, environmental regulations, or permit building in wetlands. The stormwater and floodplain regulations are handled separately by the city and state (EGLE).
• Council Deliberation: Council members questioned staff on wetland credits, buffers, and the conservation incentives. They discussed the 20% credit for wetlands and stormwater facilities toward open space requirements. Mayor Randall expressed concern that the incentive was too weak to encourage developers to choose the conservation option over planned developments. Councilmember Burns motioned to amend the screening credit to 100% (passed), and to increase the maximum credit for wetlands and stormwater facilities from 20% to 50% (passed 5-2). Councilmember Pearson proposed amendments to change the interpretation of district boundaries from the director to city council (withdrawn).
• Other Items:
  • Traffic Signal Contract (A4): Kendra Gwynn explained that only one bidder (Severance Electric) could meet the one-hour emergency response time. The contract was approved unanimously after discussion.
  • Kitchen Renovation (A5 and A6): Council debated the $236,223 cost for renovating the parks and recreation building kitchen. Parks and Recreation Director Kathleen (last name not given) stated the kitchen is grandfathered but has failing equipment and frozen pipes; renovation would require meeting current codes. Council members expressed concerns about cost recovery and duplication with the senior center kitchen. A motion to deny both contracts passed unanimously.
  • Unfinished Business: Introduction of an ordinance amending Chapter 50 to establish emergency police lines and regulate nuisance parties. Councilmember Olmsted noted a discrepancy in penalty provisions (90 days vs 93 days). The city attorney clarified that the police lines ordinance (117) would have a 93-day penalty as it relates to a state statute, while the nuisance party ordinance (118) would have 90 days. The ordinance was introduced for final action on July 7, 2026, with the correction to be made.

Key Outcomes

• RUDO Adopted (4-3): The amended Residential Unified Development Ordinance was adopted. Voting yes: Councilmembers Young, Burns, Ledbetter, and Mayor Randall. Voting no: Councilmembers Miller, Olmsted, and Pearson. The ordinance includes changes to increase the screening credit to 100% and to allow up to 50% of required open space to come from wetlands, stormwater facilities, and similar areas.
• Traffic Signal Contract Approved (unanimous): Awarded a five-year contract to Severance Electric Company Incorporated for maintenance of traffic signals, not to exceed $432,100, with the city manager authorized to execute documents.
• Kitchen Renovation Denied (unanimous): Motions to deny the construction contract ($138,630) and equipment contract ($97,593) for the parks and recreation building kitchen passed.
• Police Lines Ordinance Introduced: The proposed ordinance amending Chapter 50 was introduced for final action at the July 7, 2026 meeting, with a correction to penalty provisions (93 days for police lines, 90 days for nuisance parties).
• Council Committee Reports: Councilmember Young reported on the county EHAC meeting, noting that an algae bloom on Austin Lake was caused by high rainfall and runoff, and that residents should avoid swimming and report symptoms to the health department.
• Council Statements: Several council members expressed their views on the RUDO vote, with Councilmember Ledbetter highlighting housing equity and redlining history, Councilmember Young emphasizing the need for diverse housing to retain teachers and police officers, and Councilmember Burns sharing a personal story of needing rental housing after a family medical crisis. Mayor Randall thanked staff and encouraged community participation in upcoming 250th birthday events.