Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Houghton Planning Commission Vice Chair Bill Leder talks during Monday’s meeting of the master plan subcommittee.

HOUGHTON — Many communities are tackling the “missing middle” of housing in between single-family homes and mid-rise buildings.

Houghton’s master plan subcommittee discussed potential steps to fill that void at a meeting Monday.

The term was introduced in 2010 to refer to multi-family or clustered housing types compatible with neighborhoods, such as single-family homes with secondary units and duplexes, said Planning Commission Vice Chair Bill Leder.

“When we’re talking about increasing density, from my viewpoint, we’re not talking about trying to turn Houghton into Manhattan or Hong Kong,” he said. “We’re looking for ways to meet needs and also develop a sustainable community.”

Leder also did not envision making more radical changes such as those in Minneapolis, which two years ago eliminated single-family zoning and minimum parking requirements.

Some forms already exist in the city, such as townhouses on South Avenue and duplexes at Quincy Cove, Leder said.

“Climate refugees” from Florida or California could include young professionals who don’t want to handle a big single-family property, Leder said. Or, as people age, they might want a place with less upkeep.

“There’s sort of nothing between keeping that house, and all the responsibility and physical work that goes with it, or moving to the Bluffs,” he said.

The city’s master plan already references similar goals without using the term, Leder said, referring to a shortage of choices for senior citizens and families looking for suitable rental options.

The city took steps towards making that possible last month by decreasing the minimum lot size in R-1 and eliminating the lot size based on the number of dwelling units in R-3, while also adding architectural guidelines, Leder said.

Some potential housing arrangements would require further changes, said Planning Commission member Kristine Bradof. For instance, an apartment would not be allowed above a garage.

“I think we need to look at increasing some of those options and seeing how things work,” she said. “They’re common in a lot of places. It’s not like we’re forging new territory.”

Developer Derek Bradway said going after seniors now would be risky, as the numbers are expected to start declining in about 10 years with the passing of the oldest Baby Boomers.

“When you build the type of buildings we’re talking about, the developer’s in for the very, very, very long haul,” he said.

Another obstacle is that developers will find a higher rate of return with tourist rentals than student rentals, said Planning Commission member Jennifer Julien. Airbnbs are only allowed in business districts in Houghton, which still includes areas such as Lakeshore Drive, Julien said.

What form it could take could vary by zoning district and location. Lot sizes in some R-1 neighborhoods, such as West Houghton, could be too small to accommodate something like a duplex, Julien said.

The subcommittee also considered next steps. One would be talking with City Manager Eric Waara to find out what kind of requests people have been making in order to gauge demand.

Once the parking deck work is further along, the committee may also want to work on a sub-area plan for the downtown, Leder said. Bradof suggested in the short term, future themes for the committee would include downtown, the housing mix, and vacant land in the city. Topics within the downtown suggested by Julien are issues with garbage and recycling pickup. She also suggested working with owners of buildings along College Avenue on upkeep and maintaining the historic appearance.