Planning commission recommends rezoning, approves lot split at 35389 23 Mile Road

The City of New Baltimore Planning Commission voted March 24 to approve a land division of 35389 23 Mile Road and to recommend that City Council rezone the newly created northern parcel from General Commercial to Industrial.

Planner Karen LaVere presented a written review by City planning consultant Stephen N. Cassin finding that the applicant’s requested split — dividing the northern 300 feet from a 0.917-acre parcel — complies with the New Baltimore Zoning Ordinance. Cassin’s report said the northern portion fronts on Cricklewood Boulevard and lacks direct exposure to 23 Mile Road, making it less suited to typical commercial uses and more consistent with existing industrial development along Cricklewood.

Applicant John Semaan told the commission the split and rezoning are intended to facilitate a sale. "We want to sell this parcel and one condition is that it needs to be industrial; the neighbor wants to purchase it for industrial use," Semaan said.

After a public hearing and discussion, the commission suspended its rules to add the rezoning item to the agenda and voted to recommend approval of PREZ26-0002 to City Council. The motion carried; the commission noted the recommendation will be forwarded to City Council for its April 6, 2026 meeting.

Key details recorded in the commission materials: the subject parcel is 0.917 acres; the requested land division would separate the northern 300 feet into a distinct lot (Parcel A) and the applicant did not specify a post-rezoning use in the rezoning application. The planner’s memo and the commission’s recommendation cited Master Plan consistency concerns but concluded that an Industrial designation would better reflect existing zoning and land use patterns in the immediate area.

The planning commission’s approval of the lot split (PSL26-0001) and its recommendation on PREZ26-0002 are procedural steps; any zoning change will require City Council action.