Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Zoning Rezoning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Southfield council rezones 27301 W. 11 Mile to ODD to widen potential tenant uses
Summary
The City Council approved a rezoning to an Overlay Development District to allow a broader range of tenant uses at the largely vacant Sun Research Park property at 27301 West 11 Mile Road.
The Southfield City Council on July 21 approved rezoning the parcel at 27301 West 11 Mile Road from B-2 (Planned Business) to ODD (Overlay Development District) to permit a wider range of tenant uses in the SmartZone subarea.
The change, approved after a public hearing, was presented by the city planning staff and the property representative as a tool to increase leasing options and backfill a mostly vacant complex. Petitioner CJ Scheibel said the site — historically known as Cumberland Tech Center and now called Sun Research Park — has been used for back-office, showroom and warehouse functions and that the B-2 zoning had not matched actual uses for years.
Pamela Jarrell, a resident commenting during the public hearing, asked the council for more specific renderings and details about potential uses before the zoning change. Planning staff and the petitioner said there are no exterior building changes planned now; the rezoning is intended to allow the owner to solicit a broader range of prospective tenants, including indoor recreation and other uses that B-2 currently restricts.
During the hearing the petitioner said the building is effectively vacant (about 3.5% occupied) and that potential users previously considered — including a high-ceiling recreation tenant and an engineering firm — would have been precluded by the current B-2 use list. The planning presentation noted the master plan supports local mixed use and that approval would simply allow the property to be leased for additional uses listed in the ODD user table.
Councilwoman Hoch moved approval of the rezoning; Councilwoman Haines supported the motion. The council voted in favor and the motion carried.
The rezoning does not authorize any immediate physical changes to the site; individual tenant improvements would require separate permits and any uses not listed in the city code would still need review or additional approvals.
The council packet shows the property will keep its underlying B-2 zoning with the ODD overlay applied to expand allowable uses.
The council approved conditions recommended by staff as part of the ODD agreement; the petitioner may now pursue letters of intent and lease negotiations with prospective tenants.
