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After hours of debate, Farmington Hills council approves Culver's site plan with conditions to address parking and circulation
Summary
Following public comment from neighboring businesses and residents, council approved a Planned Unit Development amendment to permit a Culver's restaurant at Orchard 12, requiring additional screening, engineering review with RCOC to widen the exit onto 12 Mile Road, stripe and light rear parking, and a 0.5% public art contribution (on‑site or to city fund).
Farmington Hills — The City Council approved an amended Planned Unit Development and site plan April 13 that will allow a Culver's restaurant with a double drive‑thru at the Orchard 12 shopping center, subject to multiple conditions intended to mitigate traffic and parking impacts.
Charmaine Cutler‑Schmaltz, director of planning and community development, summarized the application and the multi‑month review process; engineer Alan Ember presented site revisions intended to improve circulation (new center islands, a two‑lane exit onto 12 Mile, increased drive‑thru stacking and designated snow‑storage areas) and said the project has an estimated cost near $3 million and an estimated taxable value of about $700,000.
Neighbors and several tenants, including Randy Karen of Scramblers, urged caution, saying the proposal "jams a lot in a small area" and raised concerns about reduced parking, safety and construction impacts. Lisa Heler said peak periods already leave the plaza crowded and warned that shoppers could abandon existing small businesses if parking availability declines.
Council debate focused on circulation, parking counts, safety and compliance with zoning deviations requested for the drive‑thru and menu‑board placement. Council members said the applicant had made meaningful design changes since earlier hearings and that the developer and plaza owner committed in writing to stripe and light about 65 rear parking spaces and to encourage employee parking in the rear to preserve customer spaces.
Councilmember Bridges moved to approve the amended PUD and site plan subject to a set of standard planning commission and city engineering conditions and the following council‑added conditions: work with the city engineer and the Road Commission for Oakland County (RCOC) to widen the exit to 12 Mile Road; add additional, taller screen plantings at the site's south end to minimize visibility of menu boards from 12 Mile; and contribute one‑half of 1% of the project cost (approximately $15,000 on a $3 million project) toward public art, either installed on site or placed in the city's public art fund. The applicant agreed to the conditions on the record.
The council voted in support; the motion included authorization for the city attorney to prepare the PUD agreement containing the final conditions and deviations.
What happens next: The city attorney will draft the development agreement and the applicant will work with city engineering and RCOC on final road modifications and striping plans. The developer and plaza owner must complete required engineering, fire and city reviews before permits are issued.
