Planning Commission approves interior build-out and monument sign for Big B Coffee at 6020 Coolidge; patio and building signage deferred

Huntington Woods planning commissioners voted to allow Big B Coffee to proceed with interior build-out and to install a two-sided monument sign at 6020 Coolidge, while deferring decisions about a proposed outdoor patio and building-mounted signage until the applicant supplies elevations and photometrics.

The commission heard from Jim Stewart, who identified himself as representing Big B Coffee, and from city staff, who said the business would occupy roughly 1,800 square feet of a 39,111-square-foot property. Staff said the special land-use request tied to the outdoor patio was postponed to a later meeting and that the current hearing was limited to site-plan review and the interior renovation. The Oakland County Health Department had already approved the applicant’s plans for food-service operations, staff said.

Staff and commissioners focused on parking, lighting and trash containment. Commission paperwork shows the site currently has 42 parking spaces. Under local rules cited by staff, coffee-shop uses require 1 parking space per two seats; the applicant projected 18 seats, which staff calculated would require nine spaces. The applicant and staff both noted that the existing lot meets that minimum for Big B as presented; any future tenant for the remaining space on the property would be subject to separate parking calculations.

Residents raised concerns at public participation. Deborah Hecht, who said she has a studio across Coolidge, questioned the adequacy of parking in the lot. Jason Goodman asked what plans the business would use to prevent increased litter entering the neighboring park; the applicant replied they will provide adequate containers, separate cardboard recycling bins and larger sealed containers where needed and that the site plan will include measures to prevent overflow.

On signage, staff recommended approving only the monument sign shown on the drawings because building-mounted signage and lighting details were not yet provided. Staff said the proposed monument sign and a wall sign together would total about 63.3 square feet, which the staff calculations show is roughly 26.5% of the total allowable signage area for the lot. Commissioners said they would require photometric plans and shielding if building lighting threatened spillover into nearby residential properties.

A motion to approve the interior build-out and the monument sign, with the building-mounted sign and exterior elevations to return to the commission, passed by voice vote (ayes). Staff said applicants may begin interior work and apply for building permits; exterior elevations and special-land-use approval for the patio must be submitted later for review.

Next steps: the applicant must submit detailed elevations and a photometric lighting plan, and any future special-land-use request for outdoor seating will be considered at a subsequent meeting.