Michigan Association of Planning Zoning Reform Toolkit

If the pebble analogy were to apply to zoning, then it should be described as a boulder that hasn't just caused ripples...it has created a slow-building tsunami, the impacts of which are now only being fully understood. The seemingly benign zoning ordinance has, for many, eroded housing choice, washed away access to better schools and jobs, and drowned out opportunities to increase housing supply. Planners are now stepping back to evaluate how zoning must be modernized to reflect today's realities. This Toolkit is a first step to understanding what Michigan communities can do to stem the tide.