The Livonia City Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of a proposed four‑story hotel at 31501 Schoolcraft Road on Wednesday, attaching conditions planners said are intended to address safety, parking and life‑safety requirements.

Staff told the commission the site was previously approved in 2023 but the prior approval lapsed after a year without permits. The current proposal calls for a roughly 243‑foot‑long building with 94 suites over four floors, an underground stormwater detention system, a mix of brick, EIFS and metal panels on the exterior, and a parking plan that includes up to 99 spaces with 15 land‑banked spaces to meet the city’s parking ratio.

The planning commission’s motion, made by Commissioner Droz, ties approval to detailed plan sheets and requires submission of grading and utility plans, photometric and floor plans, elevations, landscaping and measures to screen rooftop mechanical equipment from public view. Fire‑safety conditions read into the record by staff require an automatic sprinkler system, an on‑site hydrant located 50–100 feet from the fire department connection and a Knox box; the fire marshal said the project will require further detailed plan review.

Traffic and parking were central concerns. Traffic Sergeant Paul Walters told the commission he was concerned the project may not meet the city’s minimum parking requirement of one space per guest room plus employee spaces and warned of potential spillover parking impacts on nearby businesses. Petitioner representatives said 15 land‑banked spaces were part of the prior 2023 approval and maintained that the current plan can meet requirements through that mechanism. Nearby residents who spoke at the hearing urged caution: Rick Dearing cited existing congestion and crashes at the intersection; Dora Gafanko said a four‑story structure would be out of scale with nearby one- and two‑story buildings and could add light pollution.

Developer Robert Nofar of Nofar Hotel Group said construction could begin in spring after permitting, with about a year from permit to opening, and estimated project costs of roughly $12–14 million. The petitioner also said the hotel will include six electric vehicle charging stalls and that the design targets higher average daily room rates than limited‑service hotels in the area because the project is an extended‑stay product.

The commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to Livonia City Council for final action. The approval, as conditioned, is valid for one year from council approval unless a building permit is issued sooner.