Southfield council rejects rezoning for proposed oil-change business at 24412 Southfield Road

A majority of the Southfield City Council voted against rezoning a 97-foot strip at 24412 Southfield Road from OS (Office/Service) to B-3 (General Business) after public comments focused on traffic, neighborhood character and potential environmental impacts.

Neighbors spoke at length during the public hearing, saying the narrow adjacent streets and nearby homes would be affected by added traffic, noise and odors. Pamela Jarrell, a resident who gave a Southfield post office box as her address, told council the site “is not too far from my Southfield home” and urged the applicant to “find vacant places that are already zoned” for a quick-lube business. Gerard Mullen, who said he has lived near the lot for more than 55 years, noted the same owner had sought a similar rezoning decades earlier and urged council to reject the request again.

Deputy Planner (name on file with city) explained the applicant proposed rezoning the front OS portion of the property to B-3 while keeping a 35-foot P (parking) district at the rear as a buffer to residential property to the east. The planning staff and commission noted site elements intended to reduce impacts: a six-foot decorative brick screening wall along the east property line, 13–15 foot trees in a greenbelt between the wall and parking, sidewalks to connect existing gaps in the pedestrian network, and a site plan with vehicles entering and exiting only from Southfield Road (no side-street curb cuts). The planning commission also recommended a “right turn only” restriction for exiting the site during certain peak hours; the exact hours would be set by the city engineer and police department if the project moved forward.

Applicant Ali Murray, who identified his business as a quick-lube operator with other locations, told council the operation would not store or dispense gasoline, would not leave vehicles overnight and would use on-site oil interceptors and licensed waste-oil haulers. Murray said his Livonia location averages roughly 20 cars on weekdays and about 30 on peak weekend days and invited neighbors to visit that site to observe operations.

Council members discussed traffic and neighborhood concerns during the hearing. Some members noted that Southfield Road is a major corridor and that the use would be a relatively low-volume commercial activity; others said resident opposition and potential traffic conflicts with an adjacent church and narrow side streets weighed against rezoning. The motion to rezone, moved by Councilwoman Banks and supported by Councilwoman Hogue, did not win the required majority and failed after roll call.

The applicant told council he had purchased the property after seeking preliminary feedback from staff and said he would consult planners and the city to determine next steps; city staff said a failed rezoning typically carries a waiting period before it may be refiled unless a materially changed application or other circumstances are presented.

What this means: The property remains zoned OS; any future proposal for a quick-lube would require reintroducing a rezoning application or pursuing a use that meets OS zoning standards. The council discussion emphasized mitigation measures (landscaping, screening wall, one-way exit timing) but residents said they preferred the site remain noncommercial.

Votes and next steps: The council’s vote failed to reach the majority needed to rezone the parcel. The applicant may consult planning staff about whether to revise the proposal or submit again after the waiting period.