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Planning commission declines to recommend rezoning of 340 North Main Street
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Summary
After public comment and a presentation from the applicant and staff, the Clawson Planning Commission voted 2–5 against recommending that 340 North Main Street be rezoned from Office Service and R-2 to Core Residential, citing concerns about compatibility with adjacent single-family neighborhoods.
The Clawson Planning Commission on Feb. 24 declined to recommend that City Council rezone 340 North Main Street from Office Service and single-family R-2 to Core Residential, following public opposition and a split among commissioners.
At a public hearing, longtime neighbor Bonnie Clack told the commission she has lived on Lincoln Avenue for 55 years and warned the change would increase density near her home: "This will make 5 complexes within 3 blocks of my house," she said. Erin Redben, another nearby resident, asked commissioners to reject the request as inconsistent with the intent of the master plan for the downtown fringe.
Planning staff presented the property as roughly 1.5 acres with split O-1 and R-2 zoning and said the city's future land-use map, adopted in 2025, designates the site as core residential. Staff described Core Residential as a low-intensity district that permits attached residential (townhome-style) units, with a 20-foot front setback and a 30-foot maximum height—compared with a 25-foot front setback and 25-foot height in R-2. Staff noted the rear portion of the lot is constrained and lacks a public street, which limits conventional single-family subdivision under R-2.
The applicant, Andy Milley, development consultant for Trowbridge Homes, stressed the request was only for rezoning, not site-plan approval, and said the proposal envisions "townhome-type" housing rather than an apartment complex. "This is not an apartment complex as some people have suggested. That's not permitted," Milley said. He also presented traffic estimates prepared by the applicant's consultant, saying a possible medical office under current zoning could generate "as many as 500 cars a day visiting that site," while the proposed residential use would generate "less than 250 cars."
Commissioners debated alternatives including retaining a front-office designation or pursuing CMD (central mixed district) for a front portion while leaving the rear as R-2. Several commissioners expressed concern that CR could permit low-intensity nonresidential uses or allow attached housing that would intrude on adjacent rear yards.
Chair moved to recommend rezoning; roll-call votes were recorded as follows: Kucera — Yes; Lavand — No; Noushi — No; Sampson — No; Shepherd — No; Carpenter — Yes; Hale — No. The motion failed 2–5, so the commission made no recommendation to City Council.
The commission asked staff to follow up with code-enforcement inspections of the property to address neighbors' complaints about parking and property maintenance. The applicant may return with revised materials if it chooses; any formal rezoning would require City Council action.
