Planning Commission Meeting

Planning Commission Meeting Madison Heights, Michigan April 20, 2026 A Planning Commission Meeting was held on Monday, April 20, 2026 at 5:30 PM at Council Chambers - City Hall, 300 W. 13 Mile Rd. CALL TO ORDER Chair Champagne called the meeting of the Madison Heights Planning Commission to order at 5:30 p.m. ROLL CALL PRESENT Chair Josh Champagne Mayor Corey Haines City Manager Melissa Marsh Commissioner Sean Fleming Commissioner Ryan Fox Commissioner Eric Graettinger Commissioner Clifford Oglesby (arrived 5:55 pm) Commissioner Matthew Olson Commissioner Grant Sylvester EXCUSE ABSENT MEMBERS PC 26-10. Excuse Absent Members Motion by Commissioner Fox, seconded by Commissioner Graettinger to excuse Commissioner Oglesby due to health reasons. Voting Yea: Chair Champagne, Commissioner Fleming, Commissioner Fox, Commissioner Graettinger, Commissioner Haines, Commissioner Marsh, Commissioner Olson, Commissioner Sylvester Motion carries unanimously. APPROVAL OF AGENDA PC 26-11. Approval of Agenda. Motion by Fox, seconded by Graettinger to approve the agenda as written. Voting Yea: Chair Champagne, Commissioner Fleming, Commissioner Fox, Commissioner Graettinger, Commissioner Haines, Commissioner Marsh, Commissioner Olson, Commissioner Sylvester Motion carries unanimously. 1 APPROVAL OF MINUTES PC 26-12. Minutes. Motion to approve the Planning Commission meeting minutes of February 17, 2026, as printed. Motion made by Commissioner Fox, Seconded by Commissioner Graettinger. Voting Yea: Chair Champagne, Commissioner Fleming, Commissioner Fox, Commissioner Graettinger, Commissioner Haines, Commissioner Marsh, Commissioner Olson, Commissioner Sylvester Motion carries unanimously. PUBLIC HEARING: Rezoning Request PRZN 26-01 – 31075 John R Road [B1 to B2] City Planner Lonnerstater reviewed the staff report for a request from Smokin Bear Tobacco to rezone the property at 31075 John R Road from B-1 (Neighborhood Business) to B-2 (Community Business). STAFF ANALYSIS: The applicant seeks to operate a tobacco and smoke shop, a use permitted in B-2 but not B-1. A previous Certificate of Occupancy application was denied for zoning non-compliance and that decision was upheld by the Zoning Board of Appeals in January. Planner Lonnerstater noted that even if rezoned, a variance would be required because the site is 60 feet from the Civic Center/City Hall property, failing the 200-foot separation standard from Community Centers and Parks. Staff highlighted that B-2 allows more intensive uses like auto repair and drive-thrus, and the Future Land Use designation is Office, which aligns with neither district. For clarification, a tobacco shop is defined as a store primarily selling tobacco products; ancillary sales (like those in a gas station) are permitted in B-1. Planner Lonnerstater reviewed the use specific standards for tobacco/smoke shops, the map amendment rezoning review standards, and zoning and land use considerations as detailed in the packet. He especially noted #6 in the rezoning review standards states that if a rezoning is requested to allow for a specific use, rezoning the land is considered to be more appropriate than amending the list of permitted or special land uses in the current zoning district to allow the use. APPLICANT PRESENTATION: Attorney Rich Sulaka and owner Matthew Abro spoke on behalf of the Smokin Bear Tobacco. They noted a vape store operated at the site previously and that significant investment had been made in the build-out. Mr. Abro clarified the store sells nicotine-based vapes, glass pipes, and whippets (inhalants), but does not sell THC. It was also noted that Smokin’ Bear Tobacco currently has another location on Dequindre and 12 Mile. COMMISSION DISCUSSION: Mayor Haines expressed concern that a B-2 rezoning would allow for banquet halls, bars, and firearm retail adjacent to a park where children are present. Additional 2 concerns revolved around the distance of the site is 60 feet from the Civic Center/City Hall property, failing the 200-foot separation standard from Community Centers and Parks. Attorney Sulaka requested the commission postpone the matter to allow the applicant to explore a rezoning with conditions to restrict certain B-2 uses. PC 26-13. Postponement of PRZN #26-01. Motion to postpone case PRZN #26-01 per the applicant’s request until the next meeting that can fulfill state noticing requirements, for the purpose of potentially seeing the request converted into a rezoning with conditions. Motion made by Commissioner Fox, Seconded by Commissioner Oglesby. Voting Yea: Chair Champagne, Commissioner Fleming, Commissioner Fox, Commissioner Graettinger, Commissioner Marsh, Commissioner Oglesby, Commissioner Sylvester Voting Nay: Commissioner Haines, Commissioner Olson Motion carries. NEW BUSINESS Street Right-of-Way Vacation Request PEE # 26-01 - GWK/WRC - Unimproved Rights- of-Way Planner Lonnerstater reviewed a request to vacate six "paper only" street rights-of-way (Red Run Boulevard, Jared Avenue, Osman Avenue, Delton Avenue, Woodside Avenue, and Parkdale Avenue) platted in the 1920s within the Red Oaks Golf Course. The underlying property is owned by the George W Kuhn Drainage District/Oakland County Water Resources Commission. PC 26-14. Street Right-of-Way Vacation Request PEE # 26-01 - GWK/WRC - Unimproved Rights-of-Way Motion by Commissioner Haines, seconded by Commissioner Olson to move that the Planning Commission hereby recommends that City Council approve street vacation request # PEE 26 - 01 to vacate the following unimproved rights-of-way located within the platted Northeastern Highway Subdivision No. 1 and North Acres Subdivision, and as reflected within the attachments to the staff report: Red Run Boulevard (ROW width 120 ft.) Girard Avenue (86 ft.) Osmun Avenue (50 ft.) Delton Avenue (50 ft.) Woodside Avenue (50 ft.) Parkdale Avenue (60 ft.) 3  These streets shall be vacated with the following conditions: 1) Public utility easements shall be dedicated and recorded over the vacated rights-of-way, where necessary, benefitting the City of Madison Heights, Oakland County WRC, utility companies, and/or any other party for underground facilities such as water, sanitary sewer, and natural gas lines, drainage structures, and overhead facilities such as power lines and communication infrastructure. 2) Prior to formal approval of the right-of-way vacations, the applicant shall coordinate with all remaining utility companies with facilities in the existing unimproved streets regarding necessary easements or facility relocation. Correspondence from such companies shall be provided to the City Planner prior to final City Council action. Voting Yea: Chair Champagne, Commissioner Fleming, Commissioner Fox, Commissioner Graettinger, Commissioner Haines, Commissioner Marsh, Commissioner Oglesby, Commissioner Olson, Commissioner Sylvester MEMBER UPDATES Commissioner Fox – American Planning Association meeting in Detroit and invites the Planning Commission members to attend if they can. PLANNER UPDATES Planner Lonnerstater also spoke about the exciting weekend ahead as Detroit hosts the American Planning Association. The Master Plan update is underway. The steering committee has met a few times and are working on a draft within the next several months. ADJOURNMENT Seeing no further comments, Chair Champagne adjourned the meeting at 6:53 p.m. 4