Council rezones three Bush Street parcels to allow attached single-family units; residents voice privacy and wildlife concerns

The Southfield City Council on Dec. 16 approved a rezoning request to change three parcels on the east side of Bush Street from R-1 (single-family) to R-T (attached single-family), clearing the way for a small attached-ownership development.

Council members who moved and seconded the measure described the vote as an upzoning that would allow a modest increase in density — an additional one to two units for the block — while offering an ownership product the city’s planners said is in demand. The council later introduced an implementing ordinance (No. 1802) as the next step in the rezoning process.

Neighbors at the public hearing said the street is predominantly single-family and urged the council to preserve the neighborhood character. Henry Jesperson, who lives at 23463 Byrd Road and whose backyard borders the parcels, said he purchased his property a year ago and is concerned about privacy, property values and impacts on wildlife: "I'm concerned about the impact on the wildlife. There's a lot of deer, also other animals, deer, wild turkey, etcetera." Another resident, Peg Palizewski, who said her family has owned property on Bush Street since 1940, told the council "This plan destroys our neighborhood" and asked about tax impacts.

The developer's representatives said the concept under consideration would likely produce four to six attached, condominium-style ownership units with shared maintenance to reduce individual homeowner upkeep. Mike Bishop, a consultant working with the applicant, said attached ownership allows more controlled site layout, shared landscaping and parking management, and can produce units at a lower entry price than detached new construction.

Planning staff told the council that the rezoning itself does not approve a site plan; the applicant must return with a site plan for review. Because the expected project would likely contain four or more units, staff said the project would be handled through the planning-review process and that the council asked that the resulting site plan be brought back for discussion so the council could provide input on layout and buffering.

The council approved the rezoning (PZR24-0012) in a motion moved by Councilwoman Banks and supported by Councilwoman Hogue; the motion carried and the council introduced ordinance 1802 to implement the change.

Planning staff noted the assessor's office indicated expected sale prices in the nearby area at roughly $300,000 and up, and that the rezoning would not, in the staff’s estimation, materially raise adjacent property taxes. The council also discussed requiring additional screening and preserving trees along the rear property lines as part of later site-plan review if the developer proceeds.

Because the vote was on the rezoning only, any future development will require site-plan approval and the city can impose landscaping, buffering or other conditions as part of that review.