Farmington Hills Planning Commission approves four‑lot split at Oakcrest Drive amid neighbor concerns over pedestrian easement

Farmington Hills — The Planning Commission voted Jan. 15 to approve a final lot split that will divide two parcels near the end of Rock Ridge Lane into four residential lots, finding the proposal meets the city’s zoning and subdivision standards once variances already granted by the Zoning Board of Appeals are recognized.

The commission’s action covered a final certificate of survey dated Oct. 24, 2024, submitted by applicants Jason M. and Lauren M. Kurz. The motion, adopted by voice vote, attached conditions requiring revisions to the survey to address outstanding city planner and city engineer comments and cited relief from Section 27‑59’s typical 3:1 depth‑to‑width ratio based on the cul‑de‑sac lot configuration.

Why it matters: The split affects lots backing to Franklin Hills and a longstanding pedestrian easement that neighbors say provides neighborhood connectivity. Residents asked the commission to delay or condition approval until the easement and path‑improvement questions are addressed; commissioners and staff said the legal framework for lot divisions limits what the commission can consider and that easement vacation or improvement is handled by the City Council.

Staff and attorney guidance: A presenter summarized that the Land Division Act requires approval of divisions that meet statutory tests and that local discretion is generally confined to lot layout and lot‑size/shape standards. As one advisor put it, "the pathway is whatever it is — that is not an issue that has to do with lot size, width, depth ratio; it is not an issue for you tonight." The commission recorded that three of the proposed parcels needed, and received, width variances from the Zoning Board of Appeals before the planning review.

Neighbor concerns and response: Resident Eugene Greenstein, who said he has lived at 32433 Old Franklin Drive for 39 years, urged the commission not to approve the variance or the split "without fixing the neighborhood connectivity issue and a workable solution," citing two impacted easements and sections of the path that are blocked or unimproved. Staff and commissioners explained that an existing public easement across private property provides public access but that the city has not improved the corridor and has no automatic obligation to build or maintain a path unless council authorizes such work through CIP or a specific council action.

Vote and next steps: The commission voted to approve the lot split with the stated conditions and to notify the city assessor. The commission’s approval requires the applicants to revise the certificate of survey to address planner and engineer comments to the reasonable satisfaction of city staff. Any future changes to the pedestrian easement — including vacating, relocating, or improving it — would be a separate process requiring City Council review and action.

The commission closed the item and moved on to other agenda business.