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Rochester Hills City Council adopts zoning housekeeping changes, confirms appointments and approves contracts
Summary
At its March 17 meeting the Rochester Hills City Council adopted multiple ordinance amendments effective March 24, confirmed board appointments and approved a series of purchase orders and contracts, including a $3.3 million SCADA systems construction award and multi-year service agreements.
Rochester Hills City Council on Monday adopted multiple housekeeping amendments to the city zoning code, confirmed several board appointments and approved a slate of purchase orders and contracts, including a $3.3 million guaranteed‑maximum price for SCADA system construction and commissioning.
The council voted unanimously to adopt an omnibus zoning ordinance amending numerous sections of Chapter 138 and to add section 138.11.205; the ordinance is effective March 24, 2025, after publication in the Oakland Press. Council members also approved a second ordinance eliminating the requirement for a public hearing and notice for proposed subdivision plats in the Planning Commission section of Chapter 130; that ordinance is likewise effective March 24, 2025.
Why it matters: The zoning amendments are described by staff as annual housekeeping changes affecting public‑hearing notification procedures, site plan review, the zoning map and tables of permitted uses, parking and landscaping rules. The procurement approvals authorize contracts and operating purchases that support city services, public safety and infrastructure projects over multi‑year terms.
Key actions and outcomes
- Zoning ordinance amendments (second reading and adoption): Resolved to amend multiple sections of the zoning code (various 138.xx sections) and add section 138.11.205; effective March 24, 2025. Motion by Ms. Neubauer, seconded by Ms. Moreland; vote: unanimous (aye).
- Planning commission amendment (second reading and adoption): Resolved to amend section 130‑38 (article 2) to remove the requirement for a public hearing and notice for proposed subdivision plats to improve consistency across ordinance sections; effective March 24, 2025. Motion by Ms. Neubauer, seconded by Ms. Moreland; vote: unanimous (aye).
- Consent agenda and blanket purchase orders approved (selected items): Increase to backup and recovery equipment renewal ($9,078; new not‑to‑exceed $87,558); award of 8 universal‑access picnic tables ($13,545 to Belson Outdoors); citywide food/beverage blanket PO for Spencer Park and city events ($29,900); lawn mowing services for the Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency chore program ($40,000); CoStar real‑estate database subscription (not to exceed $62,391).
- Public safety and services contracts: Blanket PO for emergency medical supplies to Bound Tree Medical LLC not to exceed $106,200 through Feb. 10, 2026 (motion passed unanimously).
- Legal services assignment: Council consented to the assignment of the city’s labor and employment legal services from Keller Tomah, PC to Schultz and Young, PC and authorized a contract not to exceed $185,000 through April 30, 2028 (motion passed unanimously). Staff said Schultz and Young have been providing the city’s labor and employment representation and funding is included in the FY2025 adopted budget.
- Engineering and infrastructure awards: A three‑year blanket PO for as‑needed geotechnical engineering and materials testing services (total not to exceed $721,050 split between Professional Service Industries Inc. and G2 Consulting Group LLC) was authorized. The council also approved a guaranteed maximum price not to exceed $3,297,701 to ICS Integration Services LLC for Phase 2 implementation, construction and commissioning of SCADA system improvements; staff reported the award came in under budget.
- Equipment and software purchases: Council authorized purchase of 30 multifunction devices ($149,488) and a five‑year maintenance agreement ($250,000) to Applied Imaging (agreement term through April 1, 2030) after waiving the city’s three‑year contract requirement. A three‑year blanket PO for Microsoft server licenses to CDW‑G (not to exceed $125,000 through March 31, 2028) was also approved.
- Appointments: Kenneth Coolidge was appointed to the Zoning Sign Board of Appeals for a three‑year term through March 31, 2028. The council confirmed Mayor Barnett’s reappointments of Deborah Bernabeck, Sheila Denstad and Greg Hooper to the Planning Commission (three‑year terms through March 31, 2028) and Steven Slavic to the Local Development Finance Authority (four‑year term through March 31, 2029). All confirmations passed unanimously.
Council procedure and voting: Most items were second readings or routine procurement matters and drew little discussion from councilors or the public. Nearly all motions recorded in the transcript passed by unanimous voice vote; staff said the SCADA contract came in under its available budget and that funding for the labor‑law contract is included in the FY2025 budget.
What council said: Planning staff described the zoning text changes as a set of "a lot of little changes" that are part of the city’s annual housekeeping amendments. On procurement items, department leads summarized needs briefly and answered council questions where requested.
Next steps: The zoning amendments become effective March 24, 2025, following publication. Contracts awarded will move to execution by the procurement manager contingent on the parties signing written agreements acceptable to the city.
Ending note: No public comments were received on the ordinance adoptions at second reading; all recorded votes on the items listed above were unanimous according to the meeting record.
