[{"_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",6236236,"mediaKeyId","3375706-6f284cda083d82412e4932b6ea64ba9d","parentId",3375706,"title","Planning Commission approves temporary Consumers Energy aggregate site with dust‑control conditions","audioSeconds",1351,"startMs",3858000,"endMs",5209000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3375706-6f284cda083d82412e4932b6ea64ba9d&start=3858&end=5209","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3375706-6f284cda083d82412e4932b6ea64ba9d/thumbnail_3858000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6236236/Farmington-Hills-City/Oakland-County/Michigan/Planning-Commission-approves-temporary-Consumers-Energy-aggregate-site-with-dustcontrol-conditions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6236236-4c4e2e5fcf9dd6b84b71b7275720968c/orig.mp4?Expires=1775535800&Signature=IdW8qkJ3bgZjzsZJIX28NxoxnJf5p3-xO--HsH6JRsVnZ3qf3xiEnzkir-OGxMMB8jG6w6ciOt2I4uSe8ok7Cofr8VeHziZXGiedEoO8FL02rZctpiNHiJZ3ga48aMYa0R57uRfCyvuIPZpPQOqo5S5WlkxOnEGU61QkW87~TzT~jAirmGMnQ1G--oJWs5~6FqqdpblyBurxt1QdStDpRauGxI7dx-oAUEaNNaKYCMB0X8Wm082n5DyHHlPyS7Iva9P7PLpBsKFFg0ip~SKnMyWb2v0OeUr9uSxINosaZ1u754IBg7aLxRlyWQvTibvA2Tk2pOI~FFlCPEYdJe4ofw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Farmington Hills, Michigan","date","2025-05-16T01:51:40Z","article","Consumers Energy representatives told the commission they need a temporary aggregates staging site at 24300 Drake Road to support a large gas main replacement project spanning 12 Mile to 13 Mile and other nearby work.

Amy Gulpin, a Consumers Energy representative, said the site would be used for aggregate material and a backhoe, not for permanent equipment or employee parking. Joe Taylor, Consumers Energy gas construction supervisor, told the commission the staging yard would serve crews working in Farmington Hills and reduce round trips from a distant staging yard. Taylor estimated about 10 loads per day and said access would be from an existing bridal driveway; he told the commission the site would be staffed variably and that trucks would come, load and leave.

Hours, duration and controls: The company proposed access hours of roughly 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and said the yard would be used through Dec. 31, 2025. Taylor said the company can provide water trucks and other dust‑control measures and that they would coordinate with the city’s construction engineering staff. The applicant provided the city with written landowner permission to use the parcel.

Why neighbors objected: Commissioners and residents raised concerns about dust, early‑morning noise and pedestrian exposure. Commissioners repeatedly noted that the Drake Road neighborhood is densely populated and that residents use the area for walking; one commissioner asked for strong monitoring and enforcement conditions. Several commissioners required clear dust‑suppression plans and suggested limiting entry points to avoid trucks using other property as informal circulation.

Commission action and conditions: The commission voted to grant the special approval as requested by Consumers Energy subject to conditions: the activity must conclude by Dec. 31, 2025; the company must comply with all applicable city requirements and engineering standards; and the site is subject to “stringent dust control.” The motion included a staff direction for engineering to confirm circulation details and to require executed site access or easement agreements as necessary.

Dissent: One commissioner recorded a no vote and said the planning commission should require proposers of temporary operations to demonstrate, in advance, reasonable alternate sites and explain why they were not used; the commissioner said that requirement is needed before approving future temporary staging operations.

Implementation and oversight: City staff told commissioners that supervision of site operations and dust control would be managed by construction engineering; the commission asked staff to make monitoring plans explicit and to require the applicant to provide a single point of contact and to comply with any directions from the city’s engineering supervisor.

Authorities and timeline: The applicant proposed to begin soon after local approvals and anticipated intermittent Saturday work starting in June; the approval is time‑limited to Dec. 31, 2025. The file contains public comment from a neighboring property owner expressing concern about trucks crossing private property; the letter and the city’s conditions are included in the record.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Planning Commission Meeting : May 15, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Consumers Energy told the Planning Commission on May 15 it needs a temporary aggregates staging site at 24300 Drake Road to support several local gas‑main replacement projects; the commission approved the request with dust‑control and oversight conditions and a Dec. 31, 2025 end date.","taxTitle","Farmington Hills City, Oakland County, Michigan","taxId",4571,"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},6236241,"Planning Commission recommends approval for 28-townhouse PUD at 12 Mile and Middlebelt",2282,223000,2505000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3375706-6f284cda083d82412e4932b6ea64ba9d&start=223&end=2505","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3375706-6f284cda083d82412e4932b6ea64ba9d/thumbnail_223000.jpg","/articles/6236241/Farmington-Hills-City/Oakland-County/Michigan/Planning-Commission-recommends-approval-for-28-townhouse-PUD-at-12-Mile-and-Middlebelt","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6236241-349f8dce9c8e2b6edb3926e10ff3b432/orig.mp4?Expires=1775535800&Signature=QNJSnFyJvlkpGISKI563pRYHbRABI-HQ1f81sdspjVasBN9s2X~L6~TLNzgSFV7h2dGs6dbkNUa1U3MTON-r~NDpb-u1xHQYQD01cme8ykzKAZ~3IGEVl8gQ33iVFxt5X6LP2vTrqrxQBFLRbRmBukE0jaiaKAFHwIYPFCvIgF7S-nHSTlLaMKeV~D53YpuPtFf~IT8Hpv4j-uEFoxQ8L-5RKTDgfcoZmoaqPMJPuSFET8Y812Jy90uxUidg7QuKcsWDYQZwIEmbROejX08KVXJq4Cg3bg7-7v1GdDIyY99DeRDbGdiS-ZvUMYaIWIkPxU9jhe3WnteSAAWVw2iOCg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Aaron Schafer, representing Schafer Development, told the Planning Commission on May 15 that his company seeks PUD approval for a 28‑unit townhouse community at 12 Mile Road and Middlebelt designed for first‑time buyers, young families and active adults.

The applicant said the 4.55‑acre site is zoned RA‑1A for single‑family residential but was proposed as a transition between higher‑intensity uses to the west and lower‑density single‑family lots to the east. Schafer told commissioners the plan keeps the 28‑unit density previously qualified in October 2024, raises total open space to roughly 62.8 percent and maintains building heights at about 26 feet 6 inches.

The PUD package shows two townhouse footprints, clustered four‑ and five‑unit buildings to increase setbacks along the northern, eastern and western property lines, and a revised landscape plan that adds evergreens and native species along the eastern boundary at a neighbor’s request. Schafer said the design also contemplates a Knox box and a gated secondary emergency access to AIM Academy under terms of a recorded 02/2007 shared access agreement.

Why it matters: The proposal would create new for‑sale housing in Farmington Hills where the parcel is currently master‑planned for single‑family homes. The approach combines development with on‑site open space and creek remediation promises, and will require City Council action and clearance of engineering and safety comments before construction can proceed.

Commission discussion and conditions: Planning staff and the developer described outstanding technical comments from Giffels Webster, the city engineer and the fire marshal. Staff said the proposal reduces an existing nonconformity on right‑of‑way dedication by providing the 60‑foot allocation shown in the right‑of‑way master plan, and that a traffic study for the site concluded proposed site access and operations would function adequately once 12 Mile Road improvements are complete.

The commission’s formal recommendation includes a specific waiver: the developer asked for relief from the RA‑1 lot‑coverage standard; the submittal shows roughly 37.2 percent lot coverage versus the 35 percent requirement, and the motion recommended approval of that deviation as part of the PUD recommendation.

Neighbors and site issues: Don Payne, who owns property immediately north of the site, spoke during public comment and said he does not object to the development but requested a permanent barrier along the northern property edge to prevent children from entering his parcel: \"I would like a barrier, a fence or something, a permanent barrier that ran along the north… I just soon not have liability of them entering our property.\" Schafer responded that the team would investigate fencing or a landscaping/hybrid solution with the neighbor.

Commissioners also discussed creek erosion and engineering requests to provide embankments or other erosion control along the portion of Pebble Creek that runs through the property. A member of the public with Corps of Engineers experience urged caution about clearing stream debris, and Schafer said the developer would follow engineering guidance.

Outcome and next steps: Commissioner Barry moved to recommend City Council approval of PUD Plan 01/2025 (dated 03/07/2025) as revised, subject to addressing comments from Giffels Webster, the city engineer and the fire marshal to the reasonable satisfaction of staff, and to other standard conditions noted in the staff letter. The motion also specified recommendation of the lot‑coverage deviation noted above. The commission voted to recommend approval and will forward the application to City Council; the recommendation is contingent on the outstanding technical items being resolved and on any approvals the City Council requires.

What remains unresolved: The PUD still requires final site‑plan review before record plans are approved; staff flagged missing or incomplete details that will be required at site‑plan stage, including final tree inventory updates, clarification on whether internal sidewalks will be added (the applicant intentionally omitted them to preserve open space), and a lighting plan consistent with the photometric submittal. The developer said curbside waste collection is proposed and that internal sidewalks were omitted to preserve setbacks, but that the applicant is willing to discuss sidewalks with staff and commissioners.

Authorities cited: Giffels Webster review, the city right‑of‑way master plan, the recorded 02/2007 shared access agreement affecting AIM Academy, and the PUD provisions of the zoning ordinance.","The Farmington Hills Planning Commission voted to recommend City Council approval of a planned unit development (PUD) that would add 28 for-sale townhouse units on a 4.55-acre parcel at 12 Mile Road and Middlebelt, contingent on engineering, planning and fire‑marshal conditions and relief from a 35% lot‑coverage standard.",{"_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},6236233,"Commission conditionally approves redevelopment plan for Orchard Lake gas station, requires ZBA variances",1926,5943000,7869000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3375706-6f284cda083d82412e4932b6ea64ba9d&start=5943&end=7869","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3375706-6f284cda083d82412e4932b6ea64ba9d/thumbnail_5943000.jpg","/articles/6236233/Farmington-Hills-City/Oakland-County/Michigan/Commission-conditionally-approves-redevelopment-plan-for-Orchard-Lake-gas-station-requires-ZBA-variances","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6236233-525c3491c9a6b18cf11665ee970f2c4d/orig.mp4?Expires=1775535800&Signature=mj~3qcSA4lrBkpLNJmnkeBaGqzmnGp5Z-E0yayZTkKxhjLvpPtAWOsXJ4ly3bFZIUjTIr7QBGPQOQQF-eN38Ye3g9sCXWiN0nkKwUlRQx6iLj8~usSMwTYVAUELS0AiZTaRuye8EIurUO034j-CnWyB5dg8u-WIStMrX0Ii30HsIkRVWTmWrvXx9NI0EqPcV84CUmj7rS4CcGyE3amFbGxroqvb2PX5STbkNKv-d1T91xvbZWvr81gWyeKMyDDiXtojJKfepi~MOKUL9cRzio~-aM1lYzLXBegjqadRqUjSumLgcb2fUiLcN4S5R8--Rgw~RguUo8~ELaNqsHyRK0A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Planning Commission reviewed a proposal to renovate a gas station and convenience store at 29510 Orchard Lake Road and voted to approve the site plan subject to the applicant obtaining any required variances and addressing outstanding engineering, lighting and screening comments.

The designer, Alex Rechuni of MA Designers, said the owner purchased the station about 14–15 months ago and has renovated the store façade and interior. Rechuni said the owner now seeks to replace the canopy and reconfigure fuel islands so that vehicles \"dive in\" from the forecourt, which the designer said improves circulation and customer flow while modernizing the site.

Staff concerns and required relief: City review letters identified several dimensional and circulation issues the applicant cannot meet administratively. Staff noted the canopy encroaches into the front setback: the ordinance requires a 25‑foot front setback for canopies while the proposed canopy would sit about 19 feet 1 inch from the front property line, generating an approximately 5‑foot‑11‑inch variance request. Reviewers also flagged maneuvering widths: the zoning ordinance requires a 20‑foot two‑way lane width and some approach and fueling positions would reduce the clear maneuvering width below that standard. Staff also asked for clarification on fenestration requirements for gas‑station facades; the ordinance requires 60 percent fenestration on façades facing pump islands, and the elevation submitted shows roughly 35 percent.

Applicant response and design rationale: Rechuni told commissioners the building renovation already is complete and that the canopy change is meant to create a safer, more functional forecourt. He said the proposed layout reduces the number of curb cuts at the site and adds landscaping and a masonry screen wall to improve the streetscape. Rechuni and the owner said they intend to pursue necessary variances with the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) if the commission does not approve relief now.

Commission action and conditions: Because the project cannot meet the dimensional standards administratively, the commission specified that final site plan approval is conditioned on the applicant obtaining required zoning variances. The motion required the applicant to address Giffels Webster and city engineering review comments to staff satisfaction, to align photometric plans with landscaping, and to secure any ZBA variances identified by staff before final administrative clearance.

Why it matters: The project illustrates the common redevelopment challenge of updating older commercial sites to modern standards while working around existing, legally nonconforming features. Commissioners said they favored the reinvestment and closure of curb cuts but insisted any deviations be handled through the ZBA process so the city’s ordinance standards are formally considered.

Next steps: Staff will provide the applicant a list of the precise variance requests and outstanding technical items to present to the ZBA and to satisfy engineering and fire‑marshal reviews. The applicant was informed that the building permit for interior and MEP work is still in process and that canopy and pump changes will require final approvals contingent on the variance outcomes.","The Planning Commission conditionally approved a site plan for renovations and a new canopy at a gas station on Orchard Lake Road, subject to addressing circulation and setback deficiencies that staff says will require variances from the Zoning Board of Appeals.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Planning Commission approves temporary Consumers Energy aggregate site with dust‑control conditions

Planning Commission recommends approval for 28-townhouse PUD at 12 Mile and Middlebelt

Commission conditionally approves redevelopment plan for Orchard Lake gas station, requires ZBA variances