Planning commission forwards ordinance to incentivize ground‑floor parking to mayor and council

The Clawson Planning Commission voted Jan. 13, 2026 to forward a zoning text amendment to the mayor and city council that would allow developers in the City Center (CC) and Central Mixed-Use (CMD) districts to place up to half of the ground-floor area for parking under a building in exchange for on-site shared open space and several design conditions.

Planning consultant Joe Tangary (Giffels Webster) told the commission the package was developed over several months at the commission's request and is intended to encourage creative site layouts without raising existing height limits. "We didn't raise the height limit," Tangary said, describing a rule that lets developers split ground-floor vertical space into an extra floor while waiving some required floor heights. The draft also reduces the parking requirement for three‑bedroom units from three spaces to two to encourage larger units.

Commissioners pressed staff on technical and aesthetic points: allowable clearances and floor‑height math, whether below‑grade parking would be feasible, how enclosed or screened parking would be regulated, and whether the modest increase in shared open space justified adding vertical capacity. One commissioner asked whether the trade-off was worth a small net gain in green space and said, "I don't want Downtown Clawson to look like Downtown Royal Oak," voicing concern about downtown character and perceived density.

After closing the public hearing (no public commenters on this item), the commission moved to forward the ordinance text to the mayor and city council for their consideration; a roll‑call vote passed 8 yes to 1 no. The item will appear in the council packet and the council may hold its own public hearing as part of its review process.