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Bloomfield Hills planning commission tables Martell Drive pool-and-fence request after neighbors complain about generator noise and nonconforming fence
Summary
The commission on July 14 tabled an application to install a pool and side-yard fence at 355 Martell Drive after residents and commissioners raised questions about an apparently nonconforming fiberglass fence, a large generator that neighbors say is noisy, and incomplete screening plans. Commissioners requested decibel testing and a revised fencing/screening plan.
The Bloomfield Hills Planning Commission on July 14 tabled a request by the owner of 355 Martell Drive to install a pool and a side‑yard fence after neighbors and several commissioners raised concerns about an existing fence and loud mechanical equipment.
During the commission's review, planning consultant Jill Bame (Giffels Webster) described the applicant's proposal and engineers from HRC outlined proposed leaching basins intended to manage stormwater. Commissioners focused instead on a solid fiberglass fence already located near the road and on pool‑related mechanical equipment and a standby generator that neighbors say is loud and newly exposed because landscaping was removed.
One neighbor, identified during public comment as Karen Williams, told the commission the generator was “really ridiculously loud” and said landscapers removed vegetation that had previously dampened the sound. “That is not a representation,” she said, describing recent night‑time work installing the plastic fence and saying the change left nearby properties exposed to noise.
Commissioners noted conflicting evidence about when the existing fence and equipment were installed and whether parts of the buildout had been reviewed by the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA). Planning staff and the applicant said some mechanical equipment had been considered by the ZBA; staff also emphasized that noise compliance is handled by code enforcement and that mechanical screening must meet the city's noise ordinance.
Commissioners and staff discussed several possible conditions that would be needed before a final approval, including removing or replacing the solid plastic fence with a conforming metal fence, adding evergreen screening to block sightlines and reduce sound, and obtaining a measured decibel reading for the generator and combined equipment. Commissioner [Committee member] moved to table the request and asked the applicant to supply: (1) a decibel measurement of the generator, (2) a detailed plan showing exact fence locations and materials, (3) removal of the nonconforming plastic fence if appropriate, and (4) a complete landscape screening plan. The motion was seconded and carried on an oral vote.
The item will return to the planning commission after the administration and the applicant provide the requested noise testing and a revised fencing and screening plan. Code enforcement will check whether any installed elements currently violate city code and will advise on remedies if needed.
