The Walled Lake City Council held a first reading of an ordinance to rezone a parcel at the northeast corner of 14 Mile and Decker from C-1 (neighborhood commercial) to C-2 (general commercial) under a conditional rezoning agreement.

City Attorney Van explained the landowner has submitted a conditional rezoning that would limit future development of the parcel to a multi-tenant commercial building with a drive-through component; the planning commission reviewed the site plan, the required public hearing and recommended approval at its October meeting. Van said the drive-through element requires special land use approval, which the planning commission already approved.

Van told council members the applicant has indicated privately that one of the tenants would likely be a Starbucks, though he did not state that as a binding condition. Van described the advantage of conditional rezoning as giving the city defined use limitations at the time of rezoning rather than a full, unconstrained C-2 zoning.

Council members approved the ordinance on first reading by roll call. The ordinance (C371-23) will return to council for a required second reading and final adoption at the council’s January meeting; council members and staff noted that the first reading does not finalize the rezoning and that the public and council will have one more opportunity before final action.

Ending: The rezoning stays on second reading; the city attorney and planning staff will prepare materials for the January meeting, and any additional conditions or modifications presented prior to second reading will be included for council review.