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Council approves zoning amendment to let small retail and carryout restaurants into select office districts
Summary
The council amended the Office Service zoning rules to allow limited retail and small carryout restaurants (up to 2,000 sq ft) in designated OS areas to encourage adaptive reuse of older office buildings.
On May 19 Southfield City Council approved a zoning-text amendment to the city code that permits limited retail and restaurant uses in the Office Service (OS) zoning district in specified circumstances.
Planner Terry Crowe and staff described the intent: many small office buildings in the OS district are decades old and face vacancy and disuse. Allowing smaller retail and carryout uses with a 2,000-square-foot cap and hours tied to office norms is intended to encourage adaptive reuse, increase occupancy, generate property-tax revenue and support small, locally owned businesses.
Key provisions - Permitted small retail and carryout restaurants are limited to a maximum gross floor area of 2,000 sq ft. - Drive-thrus and large restaurant formats remain restricted; exterior storage of waste grease is prohibited; grease must be kept indoors with proper containment systems. - Visibility of interior displays must be limited on the street-facing side to protect adjacent residential areas where applicable.
Why it matters The amendment aims to provide property owners more flexibility to adapt older office buildings for small-business uses, which officials said can benefit minority- and women-owned startups and revive underutilized properties without converting to higher-impact commercial uses.
Next steps The ordinance was introduced as No. 18-13 and staff will process required administrative steps for adoption and implementation.
