[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6096383,"mediaKeyId","2833125-66404017160c895b43ccc66984c135fa","parentId",2833125,"title","Wilder’s Bistro seeks minor outdoor-dining change; board signals support for safer, flush platform","audioSeconds",199,"startMs",10036000,"endMs",10235000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2833125-66404017160c895b43ccc66984c135fa&start=10036&end=10235","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2833125-66404017160c895b43ccc66984c135fa/thumbnail_10036000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6096383/Birmingham-City/Oakland-County/Michigan/Wilders-Bistro-seeks-minor-outdoor-dining-change-board-signals-support-for-safer-flush-platform","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6096383-8378961d80ff339f82fe336fec52d84a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440581&Signature=lfwMpV4wRwNPE9NdeZduhvbayK-SSvp3HEuFjsM69QPhP0S~3ojr3p0l-9zMX7fRonjYlWUu~NrUNBMp7FHzdSGg05JGkhFYMjb5Anh5B~kzJ~1obpXwyqiN8Kee8hmNT8mN-dtsmKUI0r-uLxX-hQN75D0C4plA6UgCcJYOl4YUg5IjV8j8Q-iFl1-6ZnJ9Zwmtrfhrzk4drxk5KvC2dhRFy0WjI6TUAi-b8IjPognBayVr0orqvHBZixRfkuDlEv2ddsiqgwPu341DucsPlCUjDWAXjntPm2w7wHll4EYoTpbxgQKhwyP-ROpUjd5qXbtzd~kDcluxmyYgQC8QkA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Birmingham, MI","date","2025-03-26T00:00:00Z","article","Wilder’s Bistro presented a pre-application request on March 26 to adjust its approved outdoor dining platform on North Old Woodward: the owner proposed changing the approved trapezoidal platform to a rectangle that would extend slightly less into the travel lane and, because of street grade, would be partially non-flush with the curb at the north end to maintain an accessible path.

Planning staff told the board that the city’s outdoor-dining ordinance generally requires platforms be flush with the curb, but that an exception exists to address accessibility (ADA) or grade transitions. The applicant explained the grade change near the north end of the platform would require the platform level to rise above the curb in that area to meet accessibility and structural needs.

Board members said the rectangular platform that extends three feet less into the roadway would be safer because it reduces the intrusion into the travel lane on a downhill segment where drivers tend to accelerate; the board suggested staff could approve the change administratively if plans address safety, furnishings and department comments. The applicant also asked about retractable awnings; the board said awnings covering tables that are set back from the curb (and that meet the city’s five-foot clear-path requirement) are acceptable and that staff should vet final dimensions and mounting details.

Why it matters: the proposal is a minor physical change to an already permitted outdoor-dining area, but it touches pedestrian circulation and street-safety considerations on a busy section of Old Woodward. The board prioritized minimizing the street intrusion and preserving an accessible pedestrian route.

Next steps: staff will apply the ordinance exemption for grade/accessibility as needed and, if the final drawings meet department conditions, issue administrative approval for the revised platform and retractable awnings.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","03.26.2025 Planning Board Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Wilder’s Bistro asked the board to allow a rectangular platform that will sit more flush to the curb and a pair of retractable awnings over its outdoor dining area; planning staff and board members said the proposed change improves pedestrian safety and asked staff to handle final permitting administratively with conditions.","taxTitle","Birmingham City, Oakland County, Michigan","taxId",48746,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6096388,"Board delays decision on Birmingham Towers after hours-long parking dispute with neighboring condo owners",6281,3207000,9488000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2833125-66404017160c895b43ccc66984c135fa&start=3207&end=9488","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2833125-66404017160c895b43ccc66984c135fa/thumbnail_3207000.jpg","/articles/6096388/Birmingham-City/Oakland-County/Michigan/Board-delays-decision-on-Birmingham-Towers-after-hours-long-parking-dispute-with-neighboring-condo-owners","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6096388-653ec9fa29fe2bbacf9f3ea358b9d734/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440581&Signature=m6C6oGoj6ZmnPkSx~XewzYymsIUmN33KLYUAMlQLwljuNH8XTG22ihkMzMGd1xfurcfTpI5IVk5VdVxvd9GzGwrtIwXZzlZ3l0kVy41Tf7agE0XRubnUxXhZ~na9M0NFKLJJcwl75q-5xBKa2iZSGvkqJnbLZhiG4YTeiHlFdSrA9Bt7H83c99GsU8HrecrMWnpfWmzt6tQFTItL6G3juvgFu43JT4O3TXX1KdiXs6WNWFEdZpqTXXaQVx9R8a7jdsfgNlwhCAVj-SUZgfD2EwXvtp180wuiJCU5EeNdpnv6ahCMUvpLs4xlwYVXvkTyx9tOOTgLvfOvJKZY0YGAOQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Birmingham Planning Board on March 26 postponed without date final site-plan action on the Birmingham Towers project at 479 S. Old Woodward after a prolonged discussion and large public turnout focused on parking and the enforceability of any shared-parking arrangement with the adjacent Birmingham Place condominium.

Nick Dupuy, planning department staff, outlined the applicant’s requested change: converting a previously approved fourth-floor residential layer to office use and keeping the fifth floor residential, which changes the building’s parking requirements because the ordinance sets off-street parking by use. Under the proposal, Floors 1–4 would be commercial/office and Floor 5 would remain residential; the applicant’s calculations showed the site would be short 49 parking spaces on site, leaving 88 spaces provided where the revised use mix would require more.

The applicant’s representative, Dorade Marcus, who said he represents the owner interests in the development and commercial units at nearby Birmingham Place, told the board the owner is negotiating with potential tenants (including a furniture showroom) and argued the adjacent Birmingham Place building has unused commercial parking that could be shared. Marcus said the Birmingham Place master board controls parking policy and that the residential underground level is reserved for residents and would not be used by tenants in 479.

Planning staff reviewed the ordinance provisions the applicant hoped to use — the collective/shared-provisions clause in Article 4, Section 4.45 (methods of providing off-street parking) — and reported a major discrepancy between the applicant’s math and staff’s count of how many excess spaces could be used from Birmingham Place; staff estimated approximately 24 excess spaces at Birmingham Place under the ordinance reductions, while the applicant argued there would be more. The planning staff also noted a prior 2023 variance that had allowed an 11-space reduction was tied to an earlier plan and would not carry forward to the new proposed use mix, increasing the shortfall.

A lengthy public comment period followed. Multiple Birmingham Place condominium residents and representatives — including a resident attorney representing the residential condominium association — told the board the property governance and master-deed documents limit or preclude leasing or conveying common-element parking to outside parties, and they said the master board cannot unilaterally give away parking assigned as common elements. Those speakers urged the planning board not to assume Birmingham Place could or would provide parking unless the parties produced a written, enforceable agreement and required condominium approvals.

Board members said they were not persuaded there was written, enforceable authorization for the use of Birmingham Place parking and asked for clarified legal documentation and a binding, recorded agreement before approving any use of shared spaces to meet the new development’s parking requirement. Several board members also asked the planning department to provide a clear definition/summary of how the ordinance treats “retail/retail commercial,” “office,” and other commercial categories because the parking factors change materially by use.

Because no documented agreement or clear legal pathway for the proposed intra-building parking transfers was before the board — and following a member recusal by a board member who said a law firm he works for is a prospective tenant — the board voted to postpone consideration without date.

Why it matters: the developer argues the change will produce retail and office space the downtown seeks, while condo owners say shared parking could reduce resident convenience and potentially lower property values. The issue raises questions about ordinance interpretation, condominium law and the limits of shared-parking mechanics in dense downtown settings.

Next steps: the planning department will provide clarifications about ordinance calculations and the board said any future return should include documented, enforceable agreements (and legal opinions) showing Birmingham Place owners have authority to convey or lease the claimed parking and a clearer, audited parking-demand assessment for likely tenant types.","Developers seeking to change the floor mix at 479 S. Old Woodward proposed converting a previously approved residential floor to office and sought to apply shared-parking credits; the Planning Board postponed action without date after extensive public comment and legal questions about enforceability of shared parking with Birmingham Place.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6096393,"Planning board delays Grace Baptist Church site plan, asks for parking, setback and stormwater details",1940,780000,2720000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2833125-66404017160c895b43ccc66984c135fa&start=780&end=2720","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2833125-66404017160c895b43ccc66984c135fa/thumbnail_780000.jpg","/articles/6096393/Birmingham-City/Oakland-County/Michigan/Planning-board-delays-Grace-Baptist-Church-site-plan-asks-for-parking-setback-and-stormwater-details","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6096393-feedb88162bedf4b60d224115be47a40/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440581&Signature=fkLRZyHOAYAJ15kK6HlNiFLpByhpZnbk~onqnzEie7ohA2pPrC766UQKsXAwkpnMilqaAQRBZD87WqYRJIJsQB5dyn04WaWulB0wG2eVv5tGSYDR8g~Sa8GcgIN93YDULCQhfs5i~ge-mZxeH-wJmP3Vx~i-G9yGF-TVuslIK8O-9RFOw2rzYAy9qDnr1AkaqEvRRKG5GVTlla1VShLP-sVM-H587NcEQaaDF4vQFrjceIgfB7yQK3XGYTlsrP2GEvjWimRLhWXx8yl4EoXACemJx4ZDwreLy0aPEbpJYxIYP8wCpsLQUI4brgazgzHekLxFG35~RLqZVdIfw9Z81A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Birmingham Planning Board on March 26 postponed consideration of a special land use permit amendment, final site plan and design review for Grace Baptist Church at 280 E. Lincoln, citing unresolved site-planning and engineering issues and asking the applicant to work with staff before the board’s April 9 meeting.

The planning department’s presentation, delivered by Nick Dupuy, planning department staff, said the church — on the site since 1957 and operating under a special land use permit since 1987 — is proposing to remove 2,650 square feet of older building and add a 4,180-square-foot addition, change walkways and restripe and resurface part of the parking lot. The changes will remove a small number of parking spaces and would extend an exterior stair into the side-yard setback, requiring either compliance with the 10-foot side-yard setback or a variance from the Board of Zoning Appeals, Dupuy said.

The planning department recommended that the board recommend approval to the city commission, subject to five conditions including: submission of revised landscaping and streetscape details consistent with department recommendations; securing a variance for minimum open-space reduction; resolving stormwater requirements with city engineering; and exploring a shared-parking agreement with the city for the lot behind the site that serves the nearby YMCA.

Pastor Craig Hurley, who identified himself as pastor of Grace Baptist Church, said the project aims to improve accessibility and building circulation so the congregation can meet while construction is under way. Architect Andrew Iverson and civil engineer Andrew Walters were present for technical questions. Walters told the board the team considered multiple drive and curb-cut layouts and that some options would lose five to 10 parking spaces.

Board members raised circulation and safety concerns about the existing southern parking area: Commissioner Bert (last name not specified in transcript) said arriving late for events could lead to unsafe reversing and limited turnaround options. The applicant and a church member said the church currently manages overflow with volunteers and that interior circulation and the elevator location allow continued use of the auditorium during construction.

On landscaping and streetscape, the planning staff noted the R-2 zoning district is not strictly subject to the city’s parking-lot landscaping standards, but the applicant proposed interior landscaping that approximated those standards; staff suggested tying approval conditions to what is presented on the site plan plus city department conditions.

The board asked staff to prepare the April 9 meeting as a hybrid session to include a study session and site-plan review so members can work with the applicant and city engineering staff to resolve circulation and stormwater questions before a final recommendation to the city commission. The board formally postponed the special land use permit and site-plan/design-review consideration to the April 9 meeting.

Why it matters: the changes increase the building footprint close to residential property, affect on-site parking and touch an area with shared public facilities (the YMCA/city lot). The board framed its questions around public safety, drainage and whether proposed shared-parking arrangements would be documented and enforceable before a final recommendation.

Next steps: the applicant will coordinate with city departments on stormwater and forestry comments, refine parking and circulation drawings and return on April 9 for joint study-session/site-plan review as requested by the board.

","The Birmingham Planning Board reviewed a special land use permit and site-plan amendment for Grace Baptist Church at 280 E. Lincoln and postponed action to the April 9 meeting, asking staff and the applicant to resolve parking, setback/variance and stormwater comments.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Wilder’s Bistro seeks minor outdoor-dining change; board signals support for safer, flush platform

Board delays decision on Birmingham Towers after hours-long parking dispute with neighboring condo owners

Planning board delays Grace Baptist Church site plan, asks for parking, setback and stormwater details