Council approves rezoning and site plan for 9 Mile retail center, including drive‑thru

St. Clair Shores City Council on Monday approved rezoning and related approvals for the long‑vacant Saint Mary’s site at the northeast corner of East 9 Mile Road and Glen (Glen) Court, clearing the way for a roughly 9,000‑square‑foot retail center anchored by a drive‑through restaurant.

The council voted 6–1 to rezone parcels at 22501 and 22601 East 9 Mile Road from RM‑1 (multiple‑family low rise) to B‑3 (General Business District), and separately approved a special land use for a drive‑through and the site plan for the retail center. The approvals include conditions for landscaping, a masonry wall along the rear property line, hours of operation limits and further site‑plan review of access and parking.

The approvals bring a property that speakers described as “vacant and in rough shape” back into active redevelopment under the city’s downtown planning area. City planning staff and the applicant said the proposal is intended to fit into the broader downtown and “social district” vision for the 9 Mile corridor.

Robert Kirk, identified as representing Saint Clair Management and Saint Clair Retail Management, told council the former Saint Mary’s building has been closed for more than four years and that the existing RM‑1 zoning is “not real conducive” to viable reuse. “We think the rezoning is consistent with the surrounding properties,” Kirk said during the public portion of the planning item. He said the developer will follow up with a special land‑use review and a full site plan.

Engineer Alejandro Fernandez of Stonefield Engineering described the project as a roughly 9,000‑square‑foot retail center with a drive‑through endcap and additional tenant spaces. Fernandez said the plan adds about 11,000 square feet of green space, approximately 35 new trees and a 20‑foot landscape buffer along the rear property line intended to screen the adjacent homes. “We’re beautifying the site,” Fernandez said, adding that the drive‑through menu board will use an automatic volume control to limit noise and that trash areas will be gated and screened.

Council members pressed the petitioner on several points during the technical review: access, buffering, building materials, screening of dumpsters and how the street‑facing elevations would be finished. Council members said they expect a masonry base and stone columns, with EIFS or smooth panels on upper sections, and asked staff to ensure that materials are durable for local weather and maintenance.

Council member Vitale, who voted in favor, compared the parcel to an earlier rezoning on the corridor and said: “These homes have the standard depth that the rest of the street has. There's a proposed green belt here that's another additional 20 feet. So I don't think we have the same issues here that we did at that other property.” Council member Roussy urged careful mitigation for adjacent homeowners and asked staff to confirm ongoing code enforcement actions on the property; planning staff said there are open code enforcement violations but no court blight case pending.

Access and parking were the subject of detailed back‑and‑forth. The applicant agreed to remove the Glen Court right‑turn exit and consolidate access onto 9 Mile, and council discussed deeding a small triangular parcel owned by the city to the developer to enable a second approach directly onto 9 Mile. The motion and final site plan conditions also noted that a parking variance may be required if future tenants need more than the 71 provided spaces and that trash pickup should not occur before 7 a.m.

Council member Rubello, who moved the rezoning and later moved the site‑plan approval, framed the votes as part of a longer effort to revitalize the 9 Mile corridor and to remove blighted buildings from the area. “That building there, has it been vacant?… And it's a wreck and it's a mess,” he said. “So I'm in favor of the rezone…and I think everyone will benefit from it.”

The approvals follow a Planning Commission recommendation in favor of the rezoning, special land use and site plan. Planning staff and the developer will return with final engineering details and any necessary parking variances or adjustments to access once the small city‑owned triangle parcel is addressed.

Votes at a glance - Rezoning (22501 and 22601 East 9 Mile Road from RM‑1 to B‑3): Moved by Council member Rubello; supported by Council member Frederick. Vote: 6 in favor, 1 opposed — approved. - Special land use (drive‑through restaurant at 22601 East 9 Mile Road): Moved by Council member Rubello; supported by Council member Burgess. Vote: 6 in favor, 1 opposed — approved. - Site plan approval (retail center including drive‑through and tenant spaces, ~9,000 sq ft): Moved by Council member Rubello; supported by Council member Frederick. Vote: 6 in favor, 1 opposed — approved.

What happens next Staff will work with the applicant on final engineering, confirm the city deed transfer of the small triangular parcel (if needed), finalize landscaping and screening details, and return any required variances to council. The petitioner will proceed to final permitting and building‑permit review under the conditions adopted by council.

Sources: St. Clair Shores City Council meeting, Jan. 6, 2025; testimony by Robert Kirk (representing Saint Clair Retail Management) and Alejandro Fernandez (Stonefield Engineering); council motions and roll calls recorded in the meeting record.