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Planning commission recommends conditional rezoning, site plan approval for 660 E. 10 Mile Road
Summary
The Ferndale Planning Commission voted to recommend conditionally rezoning 660 East 10 Mile Road from I-1 (industrial) to MXD-1 (neighborhood mixed-use) and to conditionally approve a site plan to adaptively reuse the former Walker Wire building for a restaurant. The applicant says brownfield remediation has been completed and parking will be provided in an adjacent lot owned by the developer.
The Ferndale Planning Commission voted on Dec. 1 to recommend that the City Council conditionally rezone 660 East 10 Mile Road from I-1 (industrial) to MXD-1 (neighborhood mixed-use) and to conditionally approve the project’s site plan, clearing the way for a proposed restaurant tenant.
Melissa, the city planner who introduced the public hearing, told the commission the applicant sought a conditional rezoning and site-plan approval for Parcel 24-25-27-201-020 and that public-notification requirements had been met. Dennis Cowan, representing Iron Ridge Holdings LLC, and partner Craig Strong said the proposal would adaptively reuse a former industrial building in the Iron Ridge district and that the developer had voluntarily limited the list of permitted uses in a conditional rezoning agreement to avoid more intensive industrial or residential uses.
Why it matters: The request moves a property the city’s future land-use map designates as light industrial toward a mixed-use outcome supported in parts of the master plan’s written guidance. Commissioners said the parcel sits near other MXD-1 zoning along 10 Mile and that the change could support activation of the Iron Ridge district while retaining employment-compatible uses.
What the commission heard: Applicant representatives described modest requested site modifications — an outdoor patio, screening/fencing, landscaping and front/side yard setback adjustments — and said parking for the restaurant would be supplied in an adjacent Iron Ridge-owned lot that is not part of the rezoning parcel. Will Branch, the proposed operator (Paper Sons Barbecue), addressed operational details including grease-storage and refuse handling; he said sealable, wheeled containers would be used for trash and grease transport to enclosures.
A commissioner asked whether the site had environmental hazards from prior industrial use. The applicant said the property was previously contaminated by Walker Wire and other tenants and that the redevelopment included roughly $7,000,000 in brownfield remediation; the applicant described the site as “remarkably clean” after mitigation and said one small interior area has sub-slab venting/systems in place.
Other issues discussed included walkability and pedestrian access from Bermuda Street, noise near an adjacent dance studio, bicycle parking location (adjacent but behind a small building), lighting that conforms to Ferndale’s dark-sky orientation, and the potential for shared-parking or administrative waivers. Melissa and commissioners noted the city’s updated zoning code allows the CED director (Director Cuero) to review parking-sufficiency letters and consider shared-parking agreements administratively.
Votes at a glance: - Conditional rezoning (I-1 to MXD-1) — Motion by Councilman Polacco; second by Commissioner Subhashitani. Roll call recorded Yes votes from Chair Foster, Commissioner Subhashitani, Commissioner Newman, Commissioner Hall and Council member Polica. Outcome: recommendation to City Council (approved by commission). - Site-plan approval (plans dated 12/01/2025) — Motion by Councilman Polacco; second by Commissioner Hall. Roll call recorded Yes votes from Commissioner Newman, Commissioner Subhashitani, Chair Foster, Commissioner Hall and Council member Polica. Outcome: conditional approval by commission (approved).
What’s next: The planning commission’s action is a recommendation to the City Council; rezoning changes take effect only if the City Council approves the conditional rezoning and the developer completes any required permitting and administrative site-plan conditions. Staff also noted the applicant will submit any needed accessory-building plans (the small café/coffee accessory building to the south was discussed separately) and that staff will handle administrative follow-up such as parking-sufficiency review.
Staff note: Plans and the conditional rezoning agreement are dated 12/01/2025 and the commission’s packet includes the listed conditions and findings that formed the basis of the recommendation.
The commission also reviewed an administrative draft 2026 meeting schedule and offered brief commission items and farewells to a long-serving member before adjourning.
