Romulus council approves first reading to rezone former Merriman School for self-storage
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Summary
On April 13, 2026 the Romulus City Council voted 6–1 to approve the first reading and introduction of conditional rezoning RZ2025-003 to convert the former Merriman School at 15303 Merriman Road into a self-storage and industrial flex campus; the applicant will donate about 12 acres to the city for park use and the project is subject to a site plan and a conditional zoning agreement.
The Romulus City Council on April 13 approved first reading and introduction of conditional rezoning RZ2025-003 to rezone 12.88 acres of a 25.25-acre parcel at 15303 Merriman Road from R-1 (single-family residential) to M-1 (light industrial) to allow conversion of the former Merriman School into an indoor self-storage facility with industrial flex suites.
The motion, made by Councilwoman Roscoe and seconded by Councilman Jones, passed on a recorded vote of 6–1. The rezoning was introduced to the record as conditioned by the planning commission and subject to finalization and execution of a conditional zoning agreement by the city attorney.
Neighbors who spoke during the agenda-only public comment period urged council to reject the rezoning. “We don’t agree with the project going on just because we think it’s gonna invade our privacy and bring more traffic and noise around the peaceful area,” said resident Amna Ahmed, who gave her address on Merriman Road. Dawn Kirkuski, speaking for several neighbors, said the request amounted to spot zoning for a primarily residential block and warned that conditional zoning could open a “slippery slope” of additional commercial conversions.
Applicant representatives said the project is a low-intensity use compared with a school and will include buffering, tree lines, and conditions imposed at site plan review. “The donation of Parcel B, which is a 12-plus acre parcel for the city’s purposes, the dog park … was a great donation and a benefit to the city,” said Paul Weisberger, who presented for the applicant and described the site as offering a large vegetative buffer to adjacent homes. He said the development would include gated access and daytime office hours for on-site management; after-hours access to the facility would be by code only.
Councilmembers pressed the applicant on lighting, setbacks and parking. Petitioner representatives said storage doors will not face the street, a 75-foot setback in the ordinance will apply, and existing paved areas on the site will be striped for customer and flex-tenant parking. The applicant estimated the redevelopment would add roughly $200,000 to the city’s tax roll (the project remains subject to reassessment and the conditional-zoning agreement).
Because the action was a first reading, the item remains subject to completion of the conditional zoning agreement and any required site-plan approvals; the deputy clerk recorded the motion as an introduction and concurrence with the planning commission’s finding.
What happens next: Council’s approval of first reading advances the conditional rezoning for final legal review and agreement execution; the conditional-zoning agreement and final site plan will define specific restrictions, buffers and enforceable mitigations before full project implementation.
