Southfield planning commission opens hearing on conditional rezoning for 24412 Southfield Road; hearing postponed after applicant absence

The City of Southfield Planning Commission opened a public hearing March 19 on a conditional rezoning and revised site plan for 24412 Southfield Road that would allow a B-3 district use (auto service) under conditions, then postponed consideration to a date certain after the applicant failed to appear.

Planning staff said the owner has resubmitted the request as a conditional rezoning — B-3 with excluded uses and a right-in/right-out driveway configuration — after council previously declined a regular rezoning to B-3. Staff summarized two substantive changes to the revised site plan since it was last seen by the commission: an island at the Southfield Road driveway to enforce right-in, right-out movements, and a reconfigured layout that narrowed excess pavement and widened the rear green belt adjacent to residential property from 5.5 feet to 10 feet, with added plantings. Staff also noted deliveries and waste handling would occur inside the building.

The planning department listed a long set of excluded uses to be written into the conditional rezoning, including adult and medical marijuana retailers, alternative financial services (pawn shops, payday lenders), automobile and truck sales, drive-in fast-food restaurants, gas stations, hotels and motels, kennels and pet day care, open-air vehicle displays, open-air plant sales, shelters for the homeless, small-box retail, smoking lounges, theaters and other uses commonly allowed in B-3 but proposed to be prohibited on this parcel if the conditional rezoning is approved. Planning staff emphasized that the commission makes a recommendation and city council makes the final determination.

Speakers representing Empowerment Church opposed the proposal during public comment. Reginald Barnes, director of security and building-facility manager for Empowerment Church, said the church objected because "the church feels that it would degrade the value of our area" and expressed concerns about traffic and pedestrian safety, noting motorists already cut through the church parking lot to avoid signals on Mount Vernon. Carlisle Stewart III, spiritual leader and CEO of Empowerment Church, said he had "a number of concerns that are more related to environmental issues," specifically asking whether any studies had been done regarding buried oil tanks and the potential for groundwater contamination. Lynette Barnes, a church member, told the commission, "We already have people that come through our parking lot, because of the traffic. They don't wanna wait on the traffic light at South Hill and Mount Vernon, and what they do is they come through the parking lot," and said she feared customers would increase cut-through behavior and risk to children.

Commissioners and staff also clarified procedural and technical points on the record. A member of the public, Mr. Payson, asked whether the vehicular parking buffer would remain; planning staff confirmed the buffer stays and only the OS portion is proposed for rezoning. The commission opened and then closed the public hearing while the applicant remained absent. Planning staff and the chair said it would be unfair to deliberate without the applicant available to answer questions.

Commissioner Martin moved to postpone further discussion to a date certain, Wednesday, March 26, 2025, with Commissioner Goodwin Dye supporting the motion. The commission voted in favor and the chair announced both the rezoning case (PCZR25-0001) and the associated site-plan item (PSP24-0011) were postponed to that date and will be placed first on the March 26 agenda so the public knows deliberation will occur then.

The next step for the item is the March 26 planning commission meeting; if the applicant appears the commission may hear additional testimony and deliberate. If the applicant does not appear again, the commission indicated it may proceed to make a recommendation after confirming adequate notice and opportunity to be heard.