Planning panel approves new retail center on 8 Mile Road; alley vacation, parking variances and neighborhood concerns remain

The Warren City Planning Commission voted July 28 to approve a site plan for a new retail center on 8 Mile Road between Blackmar Avenue and Syracuse Avenue, subject to multiple standard conditions and future variances to be considered by the Zoning Board of Appeals.

Planning staff’s recommended conditions require the petitioner to submit revised site and landscape plans that, among other things, (1) prohibit outdoor retail sales; (2) add square-footage figures for an existing adjacent building and recalculate parking; (3) remove invasive plant species from the landscape plan; (4) combine two parcels into one parent parcel; (5) provide documentation showing the 20-foot east–west alley has been vacated or seek alley vacation; and (6) screen and maintain a dumpster area on property to the west.

Staff also noted variances will likely be needed from the ZBA: a variance to reduce the required centerline setback from the alley (the new building is proposed 11 feet from the center of the alley where 20 feet is required), variances to allow parking and maneuvering within required front setbacks, parking to the property line on Syracuse Avenue, and to waive the required greenbelt or screen wall along the north property line.

Resident Althea Benjamin, who said her family owns property behind the liquor store adjacent to the site, told the commission she regularly picks up trash from the alley and worries that development will increase foot traffic and litter. “I will be out mowing the lawn... and I see a person come from around the corner and handling his business in my alley,” Benjamin told the commission, asking for constraints to reduce litter and activity behind the liquor store.

Petitioner representatives — architect Michael Baydoun and owner Justin Calo — described a plan to demolish an oversized existing building and construct a smaller landscaped plaza, and pledged to address the dumpster screening, add lights and install gates where appropriate. During discussion, Planning Director Ron Wirth noted the city’s legal description for one parcel includes a half‑vacated alley but staff could not locate the supporting council resolution; the petitioner said title insurance and deed language indicate the alley is vacated on their title work. Councilman Henry Noonan told the commission he had seen title work showing the alley vacated and urged the parties to provide that documentation to planning staff.

Commissioners discussed whether to require the petitioner to proceed to the ZBA first or to approve the site plan with the understanding that the petitioner will seek variances. The petitioner said it prefers to secure a positive planning recommendation now and then pursue variances with the ZBA; planning staff and several commissioners agreed that a positive recommendation from the planning commission and a review letter to the ZBA would assist the petitioner.

A motion to approve the site plan with staff conditions carried on a roll-call vote. Commissioners required that the petitioner supply revised site and landscape plans, evidence of alley status or a formal alley-vacation application, screening for the dumpster, and removal of invasive species. The petitioner also agreed to pursue gates, lighting and landscaping to reduce loitering and maintenance impacts on adjacent property owners. The required ZBA variances must be obtained before the site plan will be released to the building division.