Council conditionally approves 10‑unit cluster plan at former Kenblewood Swim Club amid floodplain and boundary concerns

Farmington Hills City Council on May 11 conditionally approved a revised cluster site plan for the former Kenblewood Swim Club that would create 10 detached single‑family units and preserve about 42% of the site as undisturbed open space. Council member Bridges moved the measure; the motion passed after discussion and public comment.

The proposal, revised from a 2019 plan, preserves more open space than the earlier layout and would cluster homes around a short cul‑de‑sac. Ben Carlisle, the city’s planning consultant, told council the revised plan increases undisturbed open space from 36% to 42% and retains much of the tree buffer along the southern border adjacent to the Minnow Drain. Applicant Jared Prather of Boss Engineering said he obtained permits from Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) and is coordinating with the Oakland County Water Resources Commission to direct stormwater to a northern detention basin.

The council attached several conditions before final approval. The motion requires the applicant to submit typical floor plans and building elevations prior to final site‑plan sign‑off, provide an updated tree survey accurate at the time of a tree‑removal permit or construction submittal for administrative review, address outstanding city‑engineer and fire‑marshal comments to their reasonable satisfaction, and post an escrow to cover open‑space improvement costs (the motion estimated the escrow at roughly $53,204). Council members also asked the applicant to ensure that Lot 4 residents obtain any FEMA letter of map amendment necessary for insurance purposes.

At the public hearing, resident Lauren Herman said the proposal’s southern boundary appears to encroach on private lots, described the Minnow Drain as a wide, seasonally fast‑flowing creek and expressed concern that development close to the creek could worsen erosion and neighborhood flooding. The applicant and staff responded that the site plan dimensions were checked against a recorded subdivision plat and that the tree survey shows the contested tree as off‑site. Planning staff noted the southern boundary in the plan is dimensioned from the recorded plat (the creek centerline), and that the planning commission and staff had recommended the clustered option because of the parcel’s shape and floodplain conditions.

Council discussion focused on missing elevations, driveway/lot layout for narrow lots (Lot 9 was flagged as the narrowest), and stormwater routing. The council’s motion preserves the planning‑commission recommendation while requiring final elevations and detailed floor plans to ensure compliance with zoning and to confirm the buildings’ heights will meet ordinance limits.

Next steps: the city attorney will prepare a cluster agreement that codifies the conditions and the open‑space maintenance responsibilities (to be assigned to a homeowners association). Staff will continue administrative review and return materials for final approval once the required plans and documentation are received.