Council approves conditional use for Mitten Muay Thai gym with expanded Saturday hours

The Rochester Hills City Council on Dec. 2 approved a conditional‑use request for Mitten Muay Thai to operate a health, recreation and physical‑education facility at 1928 Starbat Drive, Suite D in the Employment Center (EC) zoning district.

The applicant, which already runs events and promotions statewide, told council the new tenant space will combine training space and an administrative/media area where fighters will produce promotional content. The tenant space is about 6,310 square feet, and the applicant said typical class sizes would range from four to 10 people with a maximum occupancy of 20 persons and five staff present at a time.

Planning staff and the planning commission recommended approval; the planning commission’s unanimous recommendation noted that the building provides roughly 76 parking spaces for the overall structure and that planners had not identified parking shortfalls during site visits. Council approved the conditional use with the planning commission’s standard findings and added a condition to allow Saturday hours from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., matching the Sunday–Friday hours the applicant requested.

Council action

Councilmember Missy Neubauer moved approval, seconded by Councilmember Barbara Moreland. The council adopted the conditional‑use approval and the extra Saturday hours by unanimous voice vote.

Discussion and context

Planning staff said the use — a martial‑arts training facility and promotion operation — fits within the EC district for nonresidential, employment-center sites where evening‑hour activities occur. The applicant emphasized that larger competitive events would be staged elsewhere; the Rochester Hills facility’s primary role will be training and content production for fighters who compete in state‑sanctioned events.

Quotes

“...we run a Muay Thai promotion... The facility that we're opening up is a gym, but it specifically caters to the athletes who participate in our organization,” applicant Nick Bismack told council.

Next steps

The applicant may proceed with tenant improvements and operations consistent with the conditional‑use approval and the conditions adopted by council. City staff will monitor parking and use as permitted by the conditional‑use conditions.

Ending

Council members welcomed the operator and said they look forward to having the new recreation facility in the city.