Council adopts zoning text amendments, approves streetlighting, sewer payback extension, Heritage Park deal and upholds FOIA cost estimate

Farmington Hills City Council on Aug. 11 approved a package of administrative and operational measures, including zoning‑text changes for the OS‑4 office/research district, a street‑lighting installation at 12 Mile and Orchard Lake, an extension to a sanitary‑sewer payback opt‑in window, authorization to finalize a long‑term agreement with Oakland County for Heritage Park, and an upheld Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) cost deposit request.

Collectively, the votes will change code language for an office/research district, fund immediate capital work at a major intersection, give property owners additional time to elect multi‑year sewer paybacks, and begin a county partnership to redevelop Heritage Park.

Zoning text amendments (Ordinance C‑5‑2025)

The council gave final enactment to Ordinance C‑5‑2025 (second reading) to add definitions for artisan manufacturing and live‑work units and to revise permitted uses, height/area/bulk standards and off‑street parking rules in the OS‑4 district. Planning Director Charmaine Kettler Schmaltz said the changes add uses requested by council (including vocational and tutoring centers and small indoor recreation under 3,300 square feet) and postpone consideration of bonus‑height provisions for a future text amendment. The ordinance passed on a roll call vote; the planning staff said it will become effective 21 days after enactment.

Street lighting at 12 Mile and Orchard Lake Road

The council authorized a purchase agreement with DTE Electric for intersection lighting work (DTE work order 75200945). Senior…