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Council approves amendment for Sarah Fisher (Villas at Pebble Creek) PUD with single-entry and preserved chapel
Summary
Council approved an amendment to the Villas at Pebble Creek PUD (Sarah Fisher site) that narrows vehicle access to a single boulevard entrance, preserves the existing chapel as a community amenity, and advances the project to site-plan engineering.
Farmington Hills City Council approved an amendment to Planned Unit Development (PUD) 02/2021 on March 3, allowing the Villas at Pebble Creek (Sarah Fisher) revised site plan to proceed with a single boulevard access from Inkster Road and a gated emergency entry at 12 Mile Road.
The applicant, Robertson Homes, presented the change as the primary difference from a prior submission: a previously proposed northern driveway was removed and the space converted to open/landscaped area. Robertson’s representative, Tim Loughran, said the design detail will be finalized during engineering and that the revised traffic study and staff meetings supported the narrower access plan.
The council also noted the developer’s commitment to preserve the historic chapel on the Sarah Fisher property and to include it as an amenity for project residents; Robertson said the developer will retain the building’s features, provide interior community space sized for the project, and add related interpretive signage.
The motion to approve the amendment was made and seconded; the vote carried by voice without recorded opposition.
Why it matters: The Sarah Fisher site has been a long‑running planning topic in Farmington Hills. Preserving the chapel and narrowing vehicular access respond to neighborhood input while permitting redevelopment of a formerly underused property to move into engineering and permitting.
Details: The approved revision replaces a second vehicular access with landscaped open space, preserves the existing chapel for resident programming and gatherings, and retains a gated emergency connection at 12 Mile Road. The developer indicated details for pocket parks, landscaping and a site-specific traffic plan will be worked out during final engineering.
Quote: “Our thought on that was just to create some plantings,” Tim Loughran, Robertson Homes, said of the removed northern driveway. “We certainly would work through that in our final engineering.”
Vote: The council approved the PUD amendment (site plan 59.5/2022) for the Villas at Pebble Creek (Sarah Fisher) by unanimous voice vote at the March 3 meeting.
Ending: Staff will complete standard PUD agreement language and engineering review; the developer will return with final engineering plans and any required permitting documents.
