By Dylan McGuire

Monroe

To the Editor:

When I decided to run for council last year, I placed a strong emphasis on housing. I’m proud that the city has made meaningful progress on this issue during my first year on the council, including zoning changes that I specifically highlighted in my campaign.

Some major housing-related highlights from the past year include:

● Removal of 3 of the 9 residential zoning districts. SR-3 and SR-4, which were low-density single-family districts and largely unused, were eliminated. DR-8 and TR-10 were combined, creating a single two-family zoning district while also reducing the minimum lot size.

● Approval of a new subdivision (Richland Heights) north of the new high school.

● Partnership with GCDC to continue the Home Construction Cooperative, including donating the former ice rink site for development in 2026.

● Contributions to housing projects, including support for Family Promise to provide short-term emergency housing, as well as the rehabilitation of downtown apartments in multiple locations.

Looking ahead to the next year, I would like to focus on additional zoning changes for housing, along with reforms that affect businesses:

● Setbacks, minimum lot sizes, and landscaping requirements: I have heard from multiple business owners that these regulations slow development and are not business-friendly. I would like the city to explore ways to simplify them, especially the landscaping point system in the city code, which is unnecessarily complex.

● Infill development: While the city has done a good job supporting new subdivisions in recent years, we should renew our focus on rehabilitating unused buildings and lots in the city core. Creating denser housing downtown will help drive increased business activity.

● Current ordinance changes in process: There is an ordinance under consideration to revise parking minimums from “2 spaces per unit plus 0.5 per bedroom over two” to a flat 2 spaces per unit. Another proposed change would allow up to 8 units per building by right in the MR-15 district, where the current limit ranges from 3 to 8 units depending on building type. In my view, these changes do not go far enough. I do not believe there should be parking minimums or strict limits on units per building, however these proposed changes are a positive step forward.

Please follow my Facebook page for regular updates on council meetings: Dylan McGuire — Alderperson, City of Monroe.