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Planners face legal question on 'granny flats' proposal

City planners are re-working a proposal to allow “granny flats” in Traverse City. Granny flats are small apartments attached to a house or garage.

Originally, the plan required a lease of at least six months for the apartments. But the city commission delayed a vote on the issue after the city attorney said that requirement may not be legal.

Planning Director Russ Soyring said he’s working with the city attorney on a solution.

“What she basically said is there needs to be a compelling governmental interest on why one residence would have to be rented, lets say, for six months and another residence on the same property could be rented on a monthly basis,” said Soyring.

Soyring said planners had a good reason for writing the lease requirement into the law.

“What we want to do is allow for additional housing options with our focus being that it would be for people who live here year-round … that people who live and work here in Traverse City would have a stable residence,” he said.

The city commission will likely take up the issue again April 6th.