Planning & Community Development

New Development in Midland

Check out this Featured Video on some of the exciting things happening in the Midland community in terms of economic development/business growth.

(A broadband connection to the Internet - such as DSL or cable - is required, as well as Media Player 9 or greater. Download MediaPlayer for free.)

Latest Projects

Below is information on various development projects that have been or are being considered by the Planning Commission and/or Midland City Council.

The notes below represent only some of the larger proposed projects throughout the city.

Site plans for a 27,524-square-foot retail center on Wackerly near Jefferson were approved at the June 23, 2008 Midland City Council meeting. The plan shows a three-phase project that will include a restaurant, convenience store, and space for retail shops.

Click here for the Site Plan Application submitted to Council.

Click here to access a color drawing of the retail center.

Site plans for a 31,000-square-foot building on Schuette Drive near Waldo Avenue were approved at the June 23, 2008 Midland City Council meeting. The plan shows a building in which materials for solar panels will be manufactured.

Click here for the Site Plan Application submitted to Council.

Click here to access a drawing of the project.

April 14, 2008: Site plans for a proposed coal-fired power plant, which would be located near the intersection of S. Saginaw Road and Waldo Avenue, were approved by the Midland City Council at its April 14 meeting.  The next step for the project involves meeting state and federal regulations, then it will return to the City when building permits are sought.

To view streaming video of the April 14 Council meeting, click here. The Council meeting is also being replayed on MGTV Cable Channel 5 in Midland. Click here for MGTV-5's programming schedule to find out when the show will air.

Minutes of the April 14 Council meeting are posted online.

Previous City Action on Plan: 

March 25, 2008:  Council consideration of the site plan followed the Midland Planning Commission's vote to recommend that Council approve it with certain contingencies streaming video of the March 25 Planning Commission meeting via this link.

Click here for the Site Plan Application submitted to the Planning Commission.

Click here to access a color drawing of the proposed plant.

March 11, 2008:  To view video from Planning Commission's March 11 public hearing on this item, click on the icon at right. (Please note that MediaPlayer 9 or higher and a broadband connection to the Internet, such as DSL or cable, is required to view this streaming video.)

August 13, 2007:  At the August 13, 2007 City Council meeting, Council members approved requests to rezone parcels of land for the proposed plant at the corner of S. Saginaw Road and Waldo Avenue. The requests that were approved involved rezoning the land as follows:

• one parcel, from Industrial A to Industrial B (for heavy industrial use); and
• the other, from Residential to Industrial B. 

There was also a hearing on an additional request by Mid-Michigan Energy to amend the Zoning Ordinance to include electrical generating plants as principal permitted uses in property zoned Industrial B. This request also was approved by Council.

Click here to view a synopsis of the Council meeting.

Click here to access more information on these requests. (Click on links for Items 2, 3, and 4.)

At its October 22, 2007, meeting, Midland City Council approved Mid-Michigan Energy's request to create an industrial development district for property at 4249 S. Saginaw Road, the site at which the proposed plant would be located. Establishing an industrial development district is the first step in the process to qualify for industrial facilities tax abatements.

Click here for more about the industrial district request.

At its Monday, December 17, 2007 meeting, Midland City Council approved a request for a conditional use permit for property on which a proposed new 250-bed Midland County jail will be constructed.

Click here for more information.

The site plan for a proposed 5-story, 169-room Holiday Inn hotel was approved by Midland City Council at its November 12, 2007, meeting. The hotel, which will be located on 4.5 acres north of Cinema Drive and south of Cinema Boulevard, will also hold a conference facility and a 205-seat restaurant.

Groundbreaking for the new hotel took place on Wednesday, June 4, 2008. The hotel is expected to open in March 2009.

Click here to view a drawing of the proposed hotel and conference facility.

Click here for more information on proposed plans as presented to the City Council.

The site plan for a proposed 10,000-square-foot addition to the Ingenuity IEQ facility at 3600 Centennial Drive was approved by Midland City Council at its October 22, 2007, meeting. Click below to find out more about plans for the addition.

Click here for more information.

Click here to view color drawings of the proposed addition.

At its September 17, 2007, meeting, the Midland City Council approved a Greater Midland Community Center (MCC) request to rezone six parcels along Jefferson Avenue from Residential A-4 to Community.

A request made by MCC to vacate a portion of George Street between State Street and Jefferson Avenue was approved following a public hearing at the October 22, 2007, City Council meeting.  Approval of the street vacation makes way for the redevelopment of MCC's campus along Jefferson, including the removal of the existing parking lot and a portion of George Street from Jefferson west to State Street. A site plan for the area, which also was approved during the October 22 Council meeting, outlines plans to create a new playground, walking trails, landscaping and other recreational improvements in the area.

Click here for more information on the vacation request.

Click here for more about MCC's site plan for the new development.