Birmingham hires Houshill Lamine to update zoning code; consultants outline public engagement and priorities

At the April 22 meeting the Planning Board heard a kickoff presentation from Houshill Lamine, the consultant team hired to update Birmingham’s zoning ordinance to align it with the city’s freshly completed master plan.

John Houshill, partner and project lead, said the work will include an existing‑code diagnosis, a best‑practices review, preliminary recommendations and iterative draft code sections covering districts and use standards, design/development standards and administrative procedures. The team described a public engagement plan that pairs focus groups and workshops with several open houses and a targeted outreach schedule running from spring 2026 into mid‑2027.

Why it matters: Board members told consultants the code update should prioritize issues raised repeatedly in local discussions — parking policy for mixed‑use and transition areas, tree preservation, lighting standards, neighborhood character and clearer, more user‑friendly administrative procedures. Several members urged that engagement not re‑litigate the master plan’s policy decisions; instead consultants were asked to translate master‑plan goals into implementable code changes.

Consultants flagged topics they will examine: connecting the city across Woodward (seams/transition areas), parking minimums and potential maximums, incentives or overlay districts to protect 'missing middle' or modest historic housing, landscape and tree‑replacement language, lighting standards (spill and color), and streamlining development review procedures to reduce uncertainty for applicants and staff.

Next steps: The consultants will complete an ordinance diagnosis and preliminary recommendations report in the coming months and will present it to the planning board. An open‑house kickoff was scheduled for the next day at the library; the consultants suggested keeping City Commission members updated during the process rather than waiting until the end.