TRAVERSE CITY -- Some area residents say tall buildings add needed density and zest to downtown, while others worry towering structures could hinder the city's small-town character.
"We can retain what we want to have here with some higher buildings," said Carol Hale, former mayor and member of the historic district commission. "They were here originally. There was more density downtown, and we need to encourage that."
City commissioners held a public forum this week to hear input on whether they should pursue lowering the maximum building height in downtown's C-4c district.
A dozen people spoke at the forum, with seven in favor of tall buildings, four against and one undecided.
Zoning in the district allows 60-foot buildings, or about four stories by right, and up to 100 feet tall with a special land use permit.
The zone covers both sides of State Street from Union Street nearly to Boardman Avenue, along with a section west of Union Street and south of Front Street.
Commissioners Jim Carruthers and Deni Scrudato want to lower the allowable height in the C-4c district, and other commissioners appeared undecided.
An ad-hoc committee of Carruthers, Scrudato and Commissioner Barbara Budros will meet to form a suggestion on building heights. They'll bring their recommendation to the full city commission, which can then pass it on to the planning commission for consideration.
The debate over building heights has come up before. It was sparked this time in part because of public opposition to Federated Properties' failed development at 145 W. Front St.
Voters in August 2006 shot down a bond proposal of up to $16 million to fund public parking and other related improvements for an eight-story, 100-foot tall building with a parking deck, retail and residential space.
Many people who opposed that project didn't like the structure's size, said resident Jenny Nestor.
"I would like to see Traverse City without the heights in this district," she said. "We need to keep in mind that people really like the character and size of the town."
Taller buildings mean traffic, curb cuts, signage, sound intensification, loss of character, loss of scale and loss of ownership, said Traverse City attorney Grant Parsons, who wants to lower the maximum height.
He also doesn't want lofty buildings blocking the view of West Grand Traverse Bay.
But just because a building is tall doesn't make it awful, said Rick Korndofer, a real estate agent who owns four downtown buildings.
"If we can build taller buildings, we can allow for more density by allowing more people to live in our community," he said. "That adds to the vibrancy, that adds to the energy, that adds to the cultural impact on our streets."
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