Planning Commission

Minutes Royal Oak Planning Commission Tuesday, July 8, 2025, 7:00 p.m. City Hall Commission Chambers Room 121 203 South Troy Street Royal Oak, MI 48067 Present: Sharlan Douglas Michael Fournier Jim Ellison Woody Gontina Brian Cooper Absent: Clyde Esbri Gary Quesada Staff: Joshua Marcum, Assistant City Attorney Joseph Murphy, Director of Planning 1. Call to Order Vice Chairperson Gontina called the July 8, 2025, regular meeting of the Royal Oak Planning Commission to order at 7:00 p.m. 2. Approval of Minutes a. Planning Commission Meeting of May 13, 2025. Moved by: Mr. Ellison Seconded by: Mr. Cooper To approve the minutes of the May 13, 2025, regular meeting of the Royal Oak Planning Commission as presented. Motion adopted unanimously. 3. Public Comment Vice Chairperson Gontina invited members of the audience to comment on any planning related issues. After all interested members of the audience came forward Vice Chairperson Gontina closed the public comment portion of the agenda. 4. Unfinished Business a. Public Hearing – Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment. Moved by: Mr. Cooper Seconded by: Commissioner Douglas Whereas, the Royal Oak Planning Commission held a public hearing on July 8, 2025, to consider requested text amendments to Article IV, Zone Regulations and General Provisions, of the City of Royal Oak Zoning Ordinance, Chapter 770, Zoning, of the Code of the City of Royal Oak, for the purpose of revising standards for accessory buildings. 1  Planning Division July 8, 2025 Therefore, be it resolved, the Royal Oak Planning Commission hereby rejects the following Zoning Ordinance text amendments and recommends the Royal Oak City Commission not adopt the requested amendment: § 770-22 Accessory Buildings. A. Requirements Applicable to Accessory Buildings within Residential Districts. (8) The width of an accessory building shall not be greater than 50% of the total width of the principal building’s primary façade as determined by the Zoning Administrator. For attached garages integral to the principal building, the width shall be based on the width of the garage door opening(s). Motion adopted unanimously. 5. New Business a. Public Hearing – Conditional Rezoning from General Industrial to General Business and Site Plan (SP 25-07-10) at 2800 W. 14 Mile Rd. (parcel no. 20-32-301-022). Moved by: Mr. Ellison Seconded by: Mr. Cooper To postpone the conditional rezoning of 2800 West 14 Mile Road (parcel no. 20-32-301-022) from General Industrial to General Business and site plan (SP 25-07-10) to construct a large-scale retail establishment with an automobile fueling station and outdoor displays and sales (Kroger) on the site of a former manufacturing facility (Comau Industries) until the August 12, 2025, regular meeting. Motion 3 to 2. Yes: Mr. Cooper, Mr. Ellison, Mayor Fournier No: Commissioner Douglas, Mr. Gontina b. Public Hearing – Special Land Use and Site Plan (SP 25-07-11) at 1821 N. Campbell Rd. (parcel no. 25-10-480-011). 1) Special Land Use Permit. Moved by: Mayor Fournier Seconded by: Commissioner Douglas To approve a special land use permit at 1821 North Campbell Road (parcel no. 25-10-480- 011) to establish a coffee shop with a drive-through facility (Wess Coffee Lounge) within a portion of a pharmacy (Medi-Mart Long Term Care Pharmacy). Motion adopted unanimously. 2) Site Plan. Moved by: Mr. Ellison Seconded by: Mr. Cooper To approve SP 25-07-11, a site plan at 1821 North Campbell Road (parcel no. 25-10-480-011) to establish a coffee shop with a drive-through facility (Wess Coffee Lounge) within a portion of a pharmacy (Medi-Mart Long Term Care Pharmacy), with the following contingencies: 1. The Zoning Board of Appeals shall grant all required variances, i.e., the minimum required number of off-street parking spaces, minimum required drive-through stacking and escape lane widths, minimum required number of drive-through stacking spaces or drive-through stacking spaces obstructing access to off-street parking spaces or maneuvering aisles, continued use of nonconforming off-street parking lot dimensions, etc. 2  Planning Division July 8, 2025 2. Parallel parking space number 18 along the west rear lot line shall be removed. Angled parking space numbers 5 and 6 along the north side lot line shall be removed. Parallel parking space numbers 16 and 17 shall be reconfigured to have minimum dimensions of nine feet by 25 feet in accordance with § 770-109 of the Zoning Ordinance. 3. The remaining existing off-street parking lot and driveways may remain in their current state with nonconforming parking space, maneuvering aisle, and driveway dimensions in accordance with § 770-109 of the Zoning Ordinance. 4. Landscaping and screening walls shall be as depicted on the site plan, provided the masonry screening wall along the west rear lot line shall be reduced in height to no more than 30 inches within 25-foot north front yard setback of the adjacent residential property, in accordance with § 770-90 of the Zoning Ordinance. Existing overgrown landscaping shall be removed and the height of plants within corner vision clearance setbacks shall be maintained at 30 inches or lower as required under § 770-29 of the Zoning Ordinance. 5. Vehicular access to the adjacent property to the south at 1815 North Campbell Road (parcel 25-10-480-012) shall be maintained in accordance with any existing easements. 6. All paving, utilities, and work within public rights-of-way shall be in accordance with the specifications and standards of the city engineer. 7. Nonconforming exterior ground-mounted light fixtures shall be replaced with fixtures that are shielded and have a height of no more than 15 feet in accordance § 770-96 B (3)(b) and (e) of the Zoning Ordinance. All other exterior lighting shall comply with § 770-96 B and other city codes and ordinances, including being directed downward and shielded so as not to shine on adjacent property, and within maximum permitted fixture heights and illumination levels. 8. All signage shall comply with the Sign Ordinance (Chapter 607) or receive the necessary variances from the Planning Commission. 9. A performance bond shall be posted in an amount to be determined by the building official. 10. The site plan shall meet all other code and ordinance requirements, as determined by the building official and city engineer, including, but not limited to, the Michigan Building Code and the City’s Stormwater Detention Ordinance (Chapter 644), prior to issuance of any building or right-of-way permits. Motion adopted unanimously. 6. Other Business a. Review of Zoning Ordinance Requests-for-Qualifications Moved by: Commissioner Douglas Seconded by: Mr. Cooper Be it resolved that the Royal Oak Planning Commission hereby enables the following firms to submit a response to a Request-for-Proposals to develop a new Zoning Ordinance: Clarion; Code Studio; Houseal Lavigne; Rundell Ernstberger; TPUDC; and ZoneCo. Motion adopted unanimously. b. City of Madison Heights Master Plan A notice from the City of Madison Heights declaring their intent to initiate a process to update their master plan was submitted as required under the Michigan Planning Enabling Act, P.A. 33 of 2008, as amended, with no further action being required or taken. 7. Adjournment 3 Planning Division July 8, 2025 Moved by: Commissioner Douglas Seconded by: Mayor Fournier To adjourn the July 13, 2025, regular meeting of the Royal Oak Planning Commission at 9:59 p.m. Motion adopted unanimously. /S/ /S/ Woody Gontina Joseph M. Murphy Vice Chairperson, Planning Commission Director of Planning 4