Planning commission approves 209‑unit project at 211 E. Lincoln with site‑plan contingencies

The Royal Oak Planning Commission voted to approve a special land use permit and a site plan for a five‑story, 209‑unit residential building at 211 E. Lincoln, after a lengthy public hearing and technical review by staff and the petitioner.

At a public meeting, staff described the project as a demolition of structures on four lots at the northwest corner of Troy and Lincoln and the construction of a five‑story building with apartments above ground‑level parking. The proposed roofline reaches 55 feet, 6 inches, which staff said exceeds a mapped height limit in a small area by about five and a half feet and therefore required the commission’s determination under local code.

Developer representatives from Champion Development Group and architect Jason Krieger presented renderings and site plans, noting 284 parking spaces for the 209 units, a small ground‑floor coffee shop for residents and pedestrians, rooftop amenity space and a “build‑to‑lot‑line” design intended to align with downtown development patterns. The team said parking will be assigned and the building will be prewired for EV chargers, with an initial plan for six to seven chargers and room to add more.

Neighbors raised several objections during public testimony. Speakers from nearby Royal Oak Manor and adjacent homes said the block already supports a high residential density and warned of increased traffic and safety risks for older residents crossing busy streets. Several residents also complained that legacy trees associated with a separate property on Rochester Road had been removed without notice; public commenters urged stronger enforcement or reparations when developers violate commitments to preserve trees. Nancy Poprovsky said the December removal of trees represented a “breach of truth and promise.”

Commissioners and staff questioned the petitioner about tree‑replacement math and site engineering. Staff’s landscape analysis shows 44 new trees totaling 128 inches of caliper on the plan; that leaves an apparent 13‑inch shortfall, which the petitioner may close by planting additional trees or paying an in‑lieu fee (staff noted a $2,600 fee as one calculation). Staff and engineering also recommended moving the site driveway and adding a pedestrian crosswalk on 7th Street; the commission delegated final crosswalk placement and certain technical design determinations to the city engineer as permit contingencies.

Before voting on the site plan, commissioners asked the applicant to commit to operational controls for refuse. The developer said the design includes a concrete compactor room intended to limit truck visits (the team estimated roughly one compacted pickup per week) and on‑site maintenance to keep collection rooms clean; commissioners requested venting the refuse room through the roof to protect neighboring decks and windows.

Commissioner Ellison moved to approve the special land use; Commissioner Douglas seconded. After deliberation, the commission approved the special land use by voice vote. The commission then approved the site plan with the following stated contingencies: compliance with the tree‑replacement provisions of the ordinance (plantings or fee as required), delegation of the crosswalk location to the city engineer, venting of the refuse/compactor room through the roof, and installation of a traffic‑control arm at the northwest entrance. The chair announced the site plan passed by voice vote with no recorded opposition.

The approvals allow the petitioner to proceed to permit submittals; several design details — including final crosswalk location, tree‑replacement calculations at building permit submittal, and engineering review of driveway alignment — will be resolved as permit conditions or through additional staff review.