Commission approves plan of operation for The Wise LLC restaurant, with conditions to protect neighbors

The Royal Oak City Commission on Nov. 10 approved a plan of operation for The Wise LLC, a proposed seafood-forward restaurant at 917 North Main, including a request to transfer a Class C liquor license and add an SDM (Sunday sales) permit and occasional entertainment. Commissioners approved the plan with a condition requiring the applicant to address employee parking to the satisfaction of the city attorney and police department and emphasized enforcement of site‑plan and plan‑of‑operation provisions covering lighting and dumpster management.

Police staff presented the application and noted one prior liquor‑law violation at the operator's other restaurant in June 2024 (sale to a minor decoy), which was fined and closed with the Michigan Liquor Control Commission. The police department said it was not opposed to the transfer as proposed.

Applicant Dominic Morelli and counsel Chris Tower said the concept will be a full‑service restaurant with table service and a full bar, 66 interior seats including 14 bar seats, no structural changes to the building, and proposed hours of Sun–Thu 4 p.m.–midnight and Fri–Sat 4 p.m.–2 a.m. They confirmed a lease with nearby business owner Chris Bellis that staggers operating hours so staff would not displace morning parking.

Nearby neighbors supported the restaurant in public hearing but raised concerns about employee parking spillover onto residential streets, bright "cobra head" parking-lot lighting, and a dumpster placed behind residential properties. Neighbors asked that employees be restricted from using adjacent on-street spaces, that lighting be shielded to avoid glare into backyards, and that the dumpster be locked, emptied twice weekly and maintained to prevent nuisance.

In response, the applicant said he would pursue a formal employee‑parking agreement, work with the landlord (Chris Bellis) to address lighting shielding, and would be open to locked lids on the dumpster and twice‑weekly emptying. Staff and commissioners said enforcement mechanisms include: codifying provisions in the plan of operation, building‑department inspection for site‑plan compliance, and police involvement for parking enforcement. Commissioner Chisholm moved approval with the condition that parking arrangements be revised to the satisfaction of the city attorney and police department; the motion passed by voice vote.

What happens next: the plan of operation is approved with conditions. Staff will coordinate final plan‑of‑operation language with the city attorney and police department and may require minor revisions before the applicant begins operations.