The City Commission on Aug. 11 agreed to postpone consideration of a special land‑use request for 479 South Old Woodward and to ask the applicant to return first to the Planning Board with revised parking proposals.

Why it matters: The project, already approved by the Planning Board in 2023 for a five‑story D‑4 development, seeks a change in interior uses — converting one residential story to retail/office — that reduces the onsite parking requirement. That change prompted requests for discretionary relief under the zoning ordinance and widespread opposition from residents of the adjoining Birmingham Place condominiums, who said the project lacks sufficient parking and has a long history of post‑approval amendments.

At the meeting the applicant said a retail tenant — Gardner‑White Studio — had emerged and that market conditions changed since the original approvals; the applicant asked for 30 days to "sharpen pencils" and explore off‑site/shared parking agreements or other measures to reduce the net parking shortfall.

Birmingham Place residents testified at length. Multiple speakers said repeated continuances and prior variance requests had already imposed construction, traffic and property‑value impacts on neighboring condominium owners. Several called the developer’s repeated requests for relief a pattern and urged the Commission to require a Planning Board review of any new parking proposal rather than permit an ad‑hoc administrative solution.

Commission discussion focused on process. Counsel explained that certain shared‑parking or off‑site parking agreements are addressed in the zoning ordinance and, depending on the mechanism chosen, would require Planning Board review; other options could be handled administratively. Commissioners emphasized they wanted the Planning Board to see any substantially different parking plan, and several said they were reluctant to approve additional relief without that review.

Outcome: The Commission voted to adjourn the public hearing and asked the applicant to return to a Planning Board public hearing with the revised approach; staff anticipated the Planning Board review would occur in early September. The action keeps the project alive while preserving a formal public‑hearing path for revised parking mitigation. Residents said they will continue to attend hearings and press for a definitive remedy.

Ending: The commission’s postponement preserved the applicant’s ability to present a revised plan but signaled a willingness to require Planning Board-level review and public notice before approving new parking solutions.