Royal Oak planning commissioners receive training on form‑based codes

At a regular August meeting of the City of Royal Oak Planning Commission, consultant Kaiser Rangewala of Rangewala Associates gave an educational briefing on form‑based codes as the commission prepares to rewrite the city’s zoning ordinance.

Rangewala framed form‑based codes as a tool that prioritizes physical form and the public realm over exhaustive lists of permitted uses. “Form‑based codes offer a predictable build result, something that you have talked about in your master plan,” he told commissioners, arguing that graphic, place‑based standards for frontages, building placement and street types make outcomes more predictable for residents and developers alike.

Why it matters: the commission is initiating work on a new zoning ordinance that staff and commissioners say should implement policies in the recently adopted master plan. Rangewala emphasized that form‑based approaches can help preserve neighborhood character while directing new growth to corridors and downtown areas, and that the code’s graphics make the rules easier for the public to understand.

During the presentation Rangewala described key components of a form‑based approach: a regulating plan that links map districts to specific place types; frontage standards that define how buildings meet the street; building‑type standards that allow context‑sensitive transitions from main street to neighborhood streets; and graphic cross‑sections that show street trees, sidewalks and open spaces. He also discussed deployment options—mandatory, parallel and floating—and the need to coordinate with public works, fire, economic development and other departments when writing standards.

Rangewala answered commissioners’ questions about common public misconceptions and how to protect architectural creativity. He said proactive public engagement is essential to counter misinformation, and that codes can reserve discretionary review for civic or particularly expressive projects. He acknowledged that form‑based codes are “a dial” that communities can set toward more predictability or more flexibility.

Commissioners pressed on implementation details. Staff told commissioners they will add stronger public‑engagement requirements to the draft request for proposals for a consultant to write the new zoning ordinance, including an expectation that bidders describe outreach methods tailored to Royal Oak. Staff provided a timeline to potential bidders: a deadline for questions of Sept. 30, 2025, and a proposal submission deadline of Oct. 29, 2025; staff expects to review responses in November and interview firms in December.

Chair Gary Ksohn and other commissioners thanked Rangewala for the overview and asked that the slide deck be shared. Joseph Murphy, the city’s director of planning, said the session was intended to educate commissioners, staff and the public ahead of the technical work of drafting code language.

The commission’s next procedural steps include finalizing an RFP for consultant services and opening a public engagement phase to inform specific code language.