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Council approves three-lot split despite neighbor objections and minimal area shortfall
Summary
The council voted 7–0 to approve a petition to split a property near 8 Mile into three lots after the petitioner and councilmembers argued the parcel (44,353 sq. ft.) is only about 0.01 acres short of the 45,000 sq. ft. threshold; neighbors raised aesthetics and traffic concerns.
The Livonia City Council unanimously approved a reconsideration to allow a three-lot split for a parcel south of 8 Mile near Newberg, accepting a proposal from Livonia Builders that would create three lots on a site the petitioner said totals 44,353 square feet — roughly 0.01 acres shy of the 45,000-square-foot threshold mentioned during review.
Petitioner Danny Berry, owner of Livonia Builders, told the council the family business has built in the community for decades and that three homes would bring additional families to the area. Berry said the site’s road curvature produced the dimensional irregularity and that as a whole the parcel nearly meets the numerical requirements.
Neighbors raised objections at the meeting. Resident Rebecca Landis said she and her neighbors purchased properties in the neighborhood for its current aesthetics and low traffic and that splitting the lot into three would harm the character of the area. Council members pressed the petitioner for details on setbacks and buffering; the developer committed to adding vegetation or a berm to reduce visual impact.
Councilmembers discussed prior court challenges to similar lot-split decisions and the risk of litigation if the council were to deny the petitioner. Several councilmembers said the parcel’s unique geometry made three conforming lots reasonable and offered that the proposed homes would be consistent in size. After public comment and council discussion the motion to approve carried 7–0.
Next steps: staff will record the council’s approval and coordinate any required engineering, permitting and buffer conditions the council discussed.
