Developers urge Walled Lake to speed permitting for downtown Old Woody's remodel

Chuck Rita, a longtime Walled Lake business owner, told the council the planned remodel of 235 N. Pontiac Trail (the Old Woody’s building) has stalled after four months of submissions and multiple reviews. “Every time we do a submission, it’s taken about 2 to 3 weeks to get a turnaround on an answer,” Rita said, adding that a requested facade and hexagon-shaped window were rejected and the developer incurred a 20% restocking fee.

Developer Fred Haydar, who said he has built 16 restaurants in Michigan, said he has never experienced approval timelines like Walled Lake’s. “I haven’t even put a nail to the wall, and I don’t hide nothing… we just want to speed up the process,” Haydar said, asking councilors to help coordinate reviewers and speed a preapproval contingent on minor items such as moving a dumpster.

Council members acknowledged the issue and asked city staff to follow up. A city representative said the technical reviews must meet code and that some delays reflect plan revisions or third‑party planner availability; the council committed to having staff investigate the reported “bottleneck” and to confer with the consulting planner and building administration to identify a path to faster, clearer responses.

The exchange happened during the non‑agenda public comment period; no formal action or variance was taken at this meeting. Council asked staff to report back with a timeline and any process improvements that could reduce repeated resubmissions and restocking costs for small downtown projects.