HOUGHTON — The rezoning of a stretch of east Houghton Avenue to allow for higher-density housing will go before the Houghton City Council after the Planning Commission approved a recommendation Tuesday.

Twenty-four lots between Agate Street and Townsend Drive would be converted from single-family residential (R-1) to multi-family residential (R-3).

Property owner Jon Lehtinen had requested the rezoning. He owns student rental properties on Houghton Avenue, and recently bought one of the two remaining houses on the properties.

“What I want to do is.. alleviate some of that vehicle congestion on east Houghton, which I have in front of the two duplexes on either side of the subject property,” he said. “I want to develop as much as possible property parking behind my duplexes so students can park back there and relieve some of that congestion.”

Much of that area is already functioning as R-3, as uses were grandfathered in prior to the city developing a zoning ordinance, commissioners said.

“And it fits with the attitude or the goals that we’ve had of trying to have more of this high-density housing done by campus,” said Commissioner Michelle Jarvie-Eggart. “So not only is it already high-density housing, but we’re just really catching the zoning up with what’s there.”

Of the 24 parcels, 21 are on Houghton Avenue. Another two are on Vivian Street at the intersection with Houghton. One on Emerald Street is part of a larger lot that borders Houghton Avenue. Commissioners said the boundaries of the rezoning were largely determined by existing use.

The proposal met with resistance from some nearby property owners. Evan Dixon said he would support rezoning if it required the owner to live at the property.

“Cutting costs, maintenance goes down, houses get shabbier,” he said. “It does affect the property values of homeowners.”

John Adler noticed a correlation between the increase in rental properties and decline of maintenance. He worried the R-3 designation would continue spreading to Fifth Avenue and Vivian Street.

“There’s still some aesthetic green areas on the east end of this area that’s being considered for rezoning, but on the west end, where there used to be green areas, it’s just all become gravel parking lots,” he said.

Anna McClatchy, who lives on east Houghton Avenue and works with students at Michigan Tech’s Dean of Students office, found herself torn. She understood concerns about how rental properties were being maintained. But she’s also heard from students at work who have struggled with their landlords and finding the space they need.

“I also think that if the landlords took some time to address that with those students, and made the proper updates, that maybe they would also value their property a little bit more,” she said.

Resident Craig Waddell referenced an idea he had brought to the city and Michigan Tech last year about creating a workshop for students who are moving into off-campus living. It would include things such as instruction on city zoning ordinances. Emails from President Rick Koubek and then-Dean of Students Bonnie Gorman, provided by Waddell, indicated it had been discussed at the staff meeting level at Tech in December 2020. Gorman, who was retiring, had told Waddell her interim replacement would follow up with him the next semester. Waddell also forwarded the responses to city officials.

“I don’t know whatever became of that, if the city didn’t move ahead or just didn’t work with them on it, but that might be another thing that could be done,” he said.

A status update was not available from Michigan Tech as of Sunday.

Later in the meeting, Chair Tom Merz rebutted what he saw as an allegation the city had been negligent in working with the university.

“In all my years of involvement with the city, the working relationship between the university and the city has been top-rate … any notion that the university reached out to us on an issue and we ignored it is crazy,” he said.

Merz said he would take no further comment. When Waddell interjected to call it a “false statement,” Merz said he was out of order and said Waddell would be thrown out if he continued to speak.

In a follow-up email, Waddell said, “The only way that I can comprehend this behavior is to believe that Mr. Merz must be agitated by my candidacy for the May 3 Houghton City Council election.”

Commissioners also addressed fears of absentee landlords from out of the area. Commissioner Mike Needham called residency requirements for landlords a “non-starter,” noting that many of the landlords drawing complaints from tenants were local. They also discussed steps taken through the city’s increased emphasis on code enforcement.

“It was 180 people not in compliance the first year,” City Manager Eric Waara said. “We’ve got about 30 frequent fliers now … it’s not perfect, but it’s better than it was.”

The council will hold a public hearing on the rezoning on April 13.