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Commission recommends approval of Wilshire Corners retail building with conditions
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Summary
The commission recommended preliminary site plan approval for a 12,800‑square‑foot Wilshire Corners multi‑tenant retail building at Crooks and Wilshire, subject to two added parking‑lot trees, two bicycle spaces, added sidewalks and waivers for build‑to‑line and loading space; recommendation goes to city council because the site is under a consent judgment.
The City of Troy Planning Commission on March 24 voted to recommend preliminary site plan approval for the Wilshire Corners commercial building, a proposed roughly 12,800‑square‑foot, single‑story multi‑tenant retail project to be split from an existing office parcel at the northeast corner of Crooks Road and Wilshire Drive.
Planning staff explained the site is controlled by a 1985 consent judgment that allowed office construction on land otherwise zoned single‑family; because the consent judgment controls, the planning commission’s role is advisory and the recommendation goes to city council. Staff said the applicant generally met the Big Beaver form‑based district standards the city seeks to emulate on the site but requested relief from the 10–30‑foot build‑to‑line on Wilshire because a gas main and a storm drain easement prevent literal compliance. Staff also noted the parking field is slightly deficient by two parking‑lot trees and that the office parking on the overall site remains overparked, making shared parking feasible.
The applicant (Eureka Development) said the building would provide small retail or service tenants (five to seven spaces anticipated), add active frontage on Crooks, and reuse underutilized office parking. The applicant agreed to add the two missing parking‑lot trees and two bicycle spaces and to provide a pedestrian connection from the Crooks sidewalk to the building; they described a parking easement with the office owner for overflow use and said a proposed curb cut on Crooks would require county road commission approval and is expected to be right‑in/right‑out.
Commissioners asked for clearer primary entrances, a few crosswalks from Crooks to the retail façade, concealed screening for the trash enclosure and that tenant signage be placed on the building face. The commission’s resolution recommended approval with conditions: add two parking‑lot trees within the lot, add two bicycle spaces, add sidewalk connections from Crooks to the building, and grant the requested waivers for the build‑to‑line and loading space. The motion passed on a unanimous roll call.
Because the site rests under a consent judgment, the commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to city council for final action on the consent‑judgment relief and any zoning adjustments. Staff noted that if the city council grants the relief, the applicant will proceed with engineering review, final site plan details, and coordination with the road commission on any curb‑cut.
