Council approves site plan and special land use for 98-bed nursing and rehabilitation center after neighbor agreements

Westland City Council on May 5, 2025 approved a site plan and special land use permit for a proposed nursing and rehabilitation center at 1155 North Wayne Road, after residents from the neighboring Abbey—s community detailed an agreement with the developer on access, landscaping and stormwater responsibilities.

The council voted to approve the planning commission—s recommendation, with a motion by Councilman Hornbuckle supported by Councilman Hart; no council member recorded dissent and the motion passed.

Sandra Powers, president of the Abbey—s of Westland condominium association, told the council the neighbors had negotiated five specific commitments with the developer. Powers read the items on the record: the main entrance and mailing address for the facility would be on Marquette rather than Campus Drive; a gated second entrance at the north end of Campus Drive would be maintained for emergency use only; construction traffic would use a staging area off Marquette rather than driving through the Abbey—s community; a 50-foot offset and substantial landscaping would shield Campus Drive; and any stormwater drainage or concrete repairs to the east side of Campus Drive caused by the project would be paid for by the property owner or the city, not by the Abbey—s.

Eitan Flank, managing member of the development team and CEO of Progressive Quality Care, described the project as a 98-bed facility with private rooms and in-room showers and "a residential focus rather than an institutional focus." He said the developer operates similar facilities in Ohio and Michigan and intends to maintain and operate the Westland facility long term.

Council members asked follow-up questions about tree preservation and whether the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) had been contacted; staff replied that the city is not required to contact the DNR for routine tree clearing unless regulated wetlands or other specific conditions exist. The developer confirmed the site plan reflects the Abbey—s requests and agreed that any damage to stormwater infrastructure caused by construction would be repaired by the owner.

The item had been postponed from the April 21 meeting. Council members thanked the planning commission, the developer and resident negotiators for working toward the conditions recorded on the public record.

The formal approval is contingent on departmental requirements and planning commission recommendations; staff indicated standard department conditions will be applied before final permits are issued.