Birmingham is rewriting its zoning ordinance for the first time since the early 2000s. The city hired Chicago-based Houseal Lavigne Associates for just under $200,000 to align land-use rules with the 2040 Master Plan adopted in June 2023.

The project launched in spring 2026 and is expected to wrap up by summer 2027, with public hearings and a final community open house. A preliminary report from the consultant is scheduled to go before the Planning Board on Wednesday, Oct. 14.

"The point of the ordinance update now is to make sure that our old ordinance, which was done many years ago, is in compliance with the vision of the new master plan and any updates that would be required in order to bring it into the modern world," Planning Board Chair Scott Clein told C&G Newspapers.

The city is holding walk-in office hours on Mondays and Wednesdays on the second floor of City Hall. Residents can sign up for an appointment at bhamgov.org to ask questions about the rewrite. Planning Director Nicholas Dupuis said he expects housing and parking to draw the most engagement.

Housing and parking topped early feedback. Focus group interviews conducted April 23 at Baldwin Public Library brought in 28 participants, according to a Houseal Lavigne summary. Business owners, property owners, design professionals and attorneys raised concerns about adjusting minimum parking requirements and expanding the downtown Parking District boundary.

On the residential side, participants flagged lot-coverage definitions, lot-consolidation standards and tree-replacement rules as areas needing updates.

The Planning Board weighed in at an April 22 meeting, according to a separate consultant summary. Board members recommended exploring development incentives to encourage renovation and expansion of existing homes on the east side of the city. They also recommended limiting missing-middle housing, a category between single-family homes and large apartment buildings, to transition zones only.

A kick-off open house the same week drew 15 participants overall, though only about 8 were members of the public; all resided in Birmingham, split evenly between the east and west sides of Woodward Avenue.

Dupuis said the consultant is now compiling stakeholder input and reviewing the master plan and existing ordinances. The seven-step process runs through district standards, sign regulations and decision-making procedures before a draft ordinance goes to public hearing.

Clein said the goal is clarity, not radical change. He said the city is following Michigan's legal requirements and is not attempting to upend what already works.

Residents who want to weigh in can book office-hours appointments at bhamgov.org. The Planning Board is scheduled to receive the preliminary report Wednesday, Oct. 14.