Dave Stensaas, planner and zoning administrator, city of Marquette

MARQUETTE — Marquette property owners will be able to legally possess chickens, rabbits and bees in city limits by the end of the month.

The Marquette City Commission unanimously approved a new Land Development Code Monday, which incorporates contemporary zoning, sign and fence ordinances, as well as allowing people to have the creatures on their property.

City Planner and Zoning Administrator Dave Stensaas said the LDC addresses the character, location and quality of property development, reduces the overall complexity of the current land-use plan, incorporates new standards for increased environmental protection and preservation, and more.

“This is going to significantly impact the quality of life for those who live, work and play in Marquette,” he said. “People don’t usually think of how codes impact their lives but, believe me, this code affects every piece of property in the city and changes elements of that property’s potential for development.”

The zoning ordinance currently in effect was adopted in 1989. Stensaas said one of the goals of the plan is to reduce the amount of variance cases that are presented to the Marquette Board of Zoning Appeals since the LDC will “make a lot of non-conforming lots, conforming.”

In October, Stensaas said the old plan was created on a different idea of how the city should develop. He said it was based on a “kind of suburban standard,” which encouraged people to combine smaller lots and build bigger houses.

The new LDC will change lots in the general residential district to allow more space for people to have an accessory structure in their yard, like a garage, shed, or family dwelling unit, which can be two-stories high.

The code also minimizes parking requirements for retail and commercial businesses and creates a riparian buffer zoning district that applies to areas where there are bodies of water, wetlands, and so on.

In 2017, the city hired consultant McKenna Associates to review the city’s existing land-use codes, master plan, and other codes and relevant planning documents.

Patrick Sloan of McKenna Associates said the LDC project implements policies of the city’s master plan and they made sure to make it user friendly by adding graphics, hyperlinks and cross-references.

The city’s planning commission has conducted over 30 work sessions and meetings on the project and was charged with recommending a final draft to the city commission. An ad-hoc advisory committee was formed to oversee the process of developing the LDC, with the committee completing its designated period in August.

Commissioner Paul Schloegel, who was on the planning commission when the project first came around, said it was torture trying to change the “decade-old plan.” He, along with the rest of the commission, commended everyone involved on their hard work.

City staff said the plan will take effect in less than two weeks.

For more information, visit www.marquettemi.gov.