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Planning board delays Terra Kitchen street‑patio roof after code, design concerns
Summary
Birmingham planning board postponed consideration of an aluminum shade structure over Terra Kitchen's street platform at 260 N. Old Woodward to June 24 after members flagged drawing discrepancies, drainage and whether a rigid roof fits the outdoor‑dining rules; the owner said he will revise plans.
The Birmingham Planning Board on May 13 postponed action on a proposal to install an aluminum shade roof over an existing outdoor dining platform operated by Terra Kitchen and Cocktails at 260 North Old Woodward.
Planning staff described the structure as an aluminum frame with a corrugated steel roof spanning the roughly 15‑by‑40‑foot platform that occupies part of the streetright‑of‑way. "I argue in the report that they do meet the provisions of the outdoor dining ordinance," planning director Nicholas Dup told the board, but members raised questions about the proposal's technical drawings, materials and street drainage.
Owner Randy Fumia said the change is aimed at preventing repeated weather‑related damage to umbrellas and outdoor furniture: "I just wanted a covered patio," he said, adding that a professional firm would install and secure the structure and that he was open to material changes if needed.
Board members queried conflicting measurements in the packet (one figure traced to a 2021 report), noted missing gutter details and suggested the city's ordinance language describes umbrellas, awnings and fabric canopies rather than a rigid roof structure. Several members also raised concerns about the structure's visual character and potential noise from a single sheet metal roof.
After the applicant agreed to revise the design, the board voted to postpone consideration to the June 24 site‑plan meeting to allow staff review of updated drawings and for the applicant to address structural, drainage and aesthetics concerns. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.
The delay preserves the applicant's opportunity to return with alternative materials or structural clarifications; staff and board members said they wanted proposals that clearly demonstrate compliance with the outdoor‑dining standards and city department requirements.
The item will return to the planning board on June 24, 2026, for further review.
