Votes at a glance: Westland council approves PILOT renewal, land use and zoning items; one reappointment fails

The Westland City Council on March 17 approved a slate of administrative, land-use and personnel items during its regular meeting. Several approvals were brief and passed with no recorded roll-call detail in the public transcript; where a roll call was recorded it is noted below.

Key outcomes

- Payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) renewal: The council approved a renewal of a PILOT for the property at 31627 Palmer Road tied to the Norris Apartments Limited Dividend Housing Association Limited Partnership. The renewal matches the term of the existing HUD mortgage and runs through Jan. 1, 2051. The agreement sets payments at 4% of annual shelter rents; council members said the measure is intended to preserve lower rents for the 60-unit low- and moderate-income complex. (Motion carried; roll-call details: not specified.)

- Reappointments to the building authority: The council confirmed the reappointment of Steve Smith to a six-year term ending 03/05/2031 (motion passed; vote details not specified). A second reappointment, Roger Shiflett, failed on roll-call: Baumann — yes; Hart — yes; Hornbuckle — no; Rakowski — no; Pro Tem Sampey — no; Wishart — no; President McDermott — yes. The council then confirmed Bob Fritz to the building authority for a six-year term (motion passed; vote details not specified).

- Rezoning at 37433 Beechwood: Council approved a request to rezone two parcels at the southeast corner of Beechwood and Newberg from R-2 (single-family residential) to THR (townhouse residential) to allow a two-building townhouse development totaling seven units; the Planning Commission and city staff recommended approval. Council discussion noted the project would proceed to a later site-plan review if rezoning is adopted. (Motion passed; specific vote tally not recorded in the transcript.)

- Land division at 35857 Joy Road: Approved a land division to create two buildable single-family lots; planning staff and the Planning Commission recommended approval and the petitioner confirmed intent to improve the existing house and build one new house on the resulting lot. (Motion passed; vote details not specified.)

- Site plan and special land use for car wash at 6501 N. Wayne Road: The council approved a plan to convert a vacant 11,000-square-foot building (former CVS) into a car-wash facility with enclosed vacuum bays, existing curb access and proposed landscaping improvements. Planning staff presented a traffic-impact study and recommended approval contingent on departmental requirements; council members supported the reuse of the building and noted the project’s potential to stimulate activity in the shopping center. (Motion passed; vote details not specified.)

- Special land use for serpentarium at 958 N. Newberg: The council approved a special land use to operate a serpentarium — a reptile exhibition — in an approximately 1,200–1,600-square-foot retail space in an existing plaza. Staff said animals would be kept in enclosed spaces and that police, fire and legal staff had been consulted; Planning Commission recommended approval. (Motion passed; vote details not specified.)

- Consent calendar and other administrative items: The council approved several consent items including a three-year mulch supply and installation contract (3 Oaks Ground Cover) not to exceed $46,836; a one-year Microsoft Exchange/Office 365 license renewal for the Department of Community Media not to exceed $20,011.20; a one-year aerial imagery subscription renewal with Nearmap US Inc. not to exceed $18,530; introduction (first reading) of an ordinance (101-g-93) to amend Westland City Code sections to prohibit certain uses of inhalants; a fee waiver for P.D. Graham Elementary School pavilion rental ($645); and adoption of a proclamation declaring March 2025 Disabilities Awareness Month in Westland. The council also approved minutes from March 3 and payment of vouchers. (Motions carried; roll-call details not specified unless noted above.)

What failed

- Reappointment of Roger Shiflett to the building authority failed on roll-call as noted above.

How the council voted (recorded roll calls available in transcript)

- Roger Shiflett reappointment — Yes: Baumann, Hart, McDermott; No: Hornbuckle, Rakowski, Pro Tem Sampey, Wishart.

Next steps and notes

Projects requiring further administrative or planning review (rezoning at Beechwood and the car-wash site) will return for subsequent site-plan or ordinance-drafting work as required by city procedures. The ordinance amending inhalant prohibitions was introduced and will return for a second reading and possible adoption at a future council meeting.

The council’s actions reflect approvals recommended by the Planning Commission and city staff in most land-use matters and generally aim to reuse existing buildings and sustain affordable housing through the PILOT renewal.