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Record of Proceedings

Ferndale Planning Commission Meeting - June 24, 2026

City Council & Commissions — Wednesday, June 24, 2026
BodyFerndale, Michigan
SessionCity Council & Commissions
DateWednesday, June 24, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:11:27

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0:00

All right, good evening.

0:01

I will call the Planning Commission meeting of Wednesday, June 24th to order at 6 30.

0:10

Can I start with a roll call?

0:15

Okay, ready?

0:18

Commissioner Azar?

0:20

Here.

0:20

Commissioner Brazen?

0:21

Here.

0:22

Commissioner Show Walter?

0:23

Here.

0:24

Chair Foster?

0:24

Here.

0:25

Commissioner Michelle.

0:26

Here.

0:26

Chair Person McCulski?

0:28

Here.

0:28

Commissioner Manuel?

0:30

Here.

0:30

Commissioner Hale.

0:31

Here.

0:38

All right.

0:40

So all here we will move on to approval of the agenda this evening.

0:43

We have two items of new business.

0:48

Both for one for conditional rezoning, another for a rezoning request.

0:55

A discussion item for detention facilities and data centers.

0:59

Any amendments or approval on the agenda.

1:04

Motion to approve the agenda.

1:05

Second.

1:07

Motion by Showwalter, second by Brazen.

1:11

All those in favor?

1:12

Aye.

1:14

Moving on to approval of the minutes for consideration of the May 20th, 2026, draft planning commission meeting minutes.

1:24

Any edits or a motion for approval?

1:27

Motion to approve minutes.

1:29

Second.

1:33

Motion from Brazen, second by Michelle.

1:35

All those in favor?

1:36

Aye.

1:40

All right, next we have a call to audience.

1:42

So if there's anyone here that would like to speak on any items on the agenda, not on the agenda for this evening.

1:48

Again, we do have a conditional rezoning request from R2 to MXD2 at 241 Pearson Street and another rezoning request at 146 Stratford from MX from R1 to MXD2.

2:04

And then a discussion later on on detention facilities and data centers.

2:08

Anything other than those topics, now would be the time to discuss.

2:14

Seeing none, we will move to new business.

2:18

Item 7A in the matter of parcels 2425341760763 and 2425 36176060, commonly known as 241 Pearson Street.

2:31

Consideration of a conditional rezoning request from R2 residential to MXD2 corridor mixed use with conditions.

2:38

I will start with a overview from our staff person.

2:42

Melissa, thank you.

2:44

Thank you.

2:46

So the first request for new business, as you mentioned, is for a conditional rezoning quest from the existing R2 residential zoning category to MXD2 corridor mixed use with conditions as voluntarily offered by the petitioner.

2:58

The property is situated on the southwest corner of the intersection at Pearson Street and Woodward Avenue.

3:05

And as you can see from the aerial image on your screen, it does comprise of two properties.

3:49

That's the zoning category that the petitioner is requesting.

4:02

And immediately to the west to the north and to the south of West Hazelhurst are some additional single family R1 categories and some uh MXD1 zonings as well.

4:15

Um you can also see the future land use plan.

4:18

It's a it's a bit blurry, um so I apologize for that, but you can see the intended future land use designations as set forth in the master plan.

4:26

Um it does call for the subject properties to remain as residential, um, but we do acknowledge that again the commercial district um is planned along both west and east sides of the Woodward Corridor.

4:43

Um in addition, there's just some Google Street um images for you to provide some additional context.

4:49

Um the left image is the view of the um church front along Woodward Avenue, so that's facing west, and then the image on the right side of your screen um is a view of the property, the surface parking lot facing southeast um from Pearson Street.

5:00

And then the image on the right side of your screen is a view of the property, the surface parking lot facing southeast from Pearson Street.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Technology and Innovation██████████████████████22%
Engineering And Infrastructure█████████████████17%
Zoning and Land Use██████████████14%
Zoning Regulation████████████12%
Public Safety██████████10%
Procedural███████7%
Building Code Enforcement█████5%
Environmental Protection█████5%
Detention Facilities Regulation████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Ferndale Planning Commission Meeting - June 24, 2026

The Ferndale Planning Commission met on June 24, 2026, at 6:30 PM to consider two rezoning requests, discuss regulations for detention facilities and data centers, and address administrative matters. The meeting adjourned at 8:41 PM. All eight commissioners were present.

Consent Calendar

  • The agenda for the June 24, 2026 meeting was approved unanimously.
  • The draft minutes from the May 20, 2026 meeting were approved unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No public comments were made during the initial Call to Audience.
  • Public hearings were held for both rezoning items (at 6:41 PM and 7:06 PM), but no members of the public spoke.
  • Following the workshop, one member of the public expressed concerns about detention centers (advocating for humane conditions and careful definitions to avoid warehouses being used for detaining people) and also raised concerns about Amazon delivery drones (noise, privacy, and suggested regulating hours of operation). The speaker urged the commission to consider impacts on public spaces.

New Business - Conditional Rezoning: 241 Pearson Street (7A)

  • Applicants Anthony Sevy and Lauren Ramaya (owners of Detroit Cookie Company) propose transforming the former church property at 241 Pearson Street into a restaurant/café, small event space, commercial kitchen, and storage. The request is for a conditional rezoning from R-2 Residential to MXD-2 Corridor Mixed Use with voluntary conditions offered by the petitioner.
  • Conditions include: limit use to a 1.5-story commercial building; retain the main church structure for restaurant/café/takeaway use within 12 months; demolish the rectory within 18 months and add 35 parking spaces (total 60); restrict uses to only restaurant/café, small event space, commercial kitchen, and storage; and if the project is not completed within two years, zoning reverts to R-2.
  • During discussion, commissioners asked about shared parking agreements, permeable surface requirements, enforceability of use restrictions (conditions run with the land), and potential impacts on adjacent senior housing. The applicant clarified intentions and noted no formal agreements yet with neighbors regarding access.
  • The commission voted 8-0 to recommend approval to City Council with the findings and conditions as outlined.

New Business - Rezoning: 146 Stratford Road (7B)

  • Applicant Mark Lewis seeks to rezone a single-family residential property at 146 Stratford Road from R-1 Residential to MXD-2 Corridor Mixed Use. The applicant also owns the adjacent properties to the south (commercial) and intends to combine them for future development.
  • Staff noted the property does not meet minimum lot width requirements for MXD-2; combination with adjacent parcels is necessary. The alleyway between parcels requires resolution (ownership unclear, possibly requiring vacation).
  • Commissioners discussed ensuring that any future development has frontage and access on 8 Mile Road rather than Stratford, and that the lots be formally combined. The commission recommended approval with conditions: the parcel must be combined with the adjacent parcels to meet minimum dimensional requirements, and the alleyway ownership must be resolved.
  • Vote: 8-0 to recommend approval to City Council with those conditions.

Workshop: Detention Facilities and Data Centers (8A)

  • Alex Ritku from OHM Advisors presented a technical analysis of both uses, highlighting where current zoning is deficient and proposing amendments.
  • For data centers: Recommendations include adding them as a defined use (to distinguish from server rooms), limiting to industrial districts as a special land use, and adding standards for utility coordination, noise, heat, vibration, screening of generators, decommissioning plans, and energy consumption caps. Tiers could be considered. Discussion emphasized making centers meet Ferndale’s design standards without overregulating server rooms.
  • For detention facilities: Recommendations include adding them as a special land use in I-2 district, requiring minimum separation from schools, parks, daycares, and residential zones, requiring security and operation plans, traffic impact studies, and ensuring public utility and emergency coordination. Commissioners discussed defining primary vs. accessory use (to avoid capturing police stations), and the need for defensible separation distances (similar to marijuana facilities). The moratorium on detention facilities ends September 5, 2026; for data centers October 13, 2026.
  • No votes were taken; the discussion is to inform drafting of ordinance amendments.

Commission Items: Amazon Delivery Drones

  • Commissioner Foster raised concerns about Amazon delivery drones operating in Ferndale, citing noise and privacy. He suggested considering time-of-day restrictions and potential fees or agreements. Other commissioners noted that while partly FAA-regulated, the city may have levers regarding public space use and delivery zones. The issue was not formally addressed but noted for future consideration.

Key Outcomes

  • 241 Pearson Street: Planning Commission voted 8-0 to recommend approval of the conditional rezoning to City Council.
  • 146 Stratford Road: Planning Commission voted 8-0 to recommend approval of the rezoning with conditions (lot combination and alley resolution) to City Council.
  • Detention Facilities and Data Centers: No formal action; commissioners provided direction to staff and OHM Advisors for drafting amendments, with a target to bring draft ordinances to the commission in the coming months, considering the moratorium deadlines.
  • Amazon Delivery Drones: Discussion only; no action taken. Commissioners expressed intent to explore regulatory options.

Meeting Transcript

All right, good evening. I will call the Planning Commission meeting of Wednesday, June 24th to order at 6 30. Can I start with a roll call? Okay, ready? Commissioner Azar? Here. Commissioner Brazen? Here. Commissioner Show Walter? Here. Chair Foster? Here. Commissioner Michelle. Here. Chair Person McCulski? Here. Commissioner Manuel? Here. Commissioner Hale. Here. All right. So all here we will move on to approval of the agenda this evening. We have two items of new business. Both for one for conditional rezoning, another for a rezoning request. A discussion item for detention facilities and data centers. Any amendments or approval on the agenda. Motion to approve the agenda. Second. Motion by Showwalter, second by Brazen. All those in favor? Aye. Moving on to approval of the minutes for consideration of the May 20th, 2026, draft planning commission meeting minutes. Any edits or a motion for approval? Motion to approve minutes. Second. Motion from Brazen, second by Michelle. All those in favor? Aye. All right, next we have a call to audience. So if there's anyone here that would like to speak on any items on the agenda, not on the agenda for this evening. Again, we do have a conditional rezoning request from R2 to MXD2 at 241 Pearson Street and another rezoning request at 146 Stratford from MX from R1 to MXD2. And then a discussion later on on detention facilities and data centers. Anything other than those topics, now would be the time to discuss. Seeing none, we will move to new business. Item 7A in the matter of parcels 2425341760763 and 2425 36176060, commonly known as 241 Pearson Street. Consideration of a conditional rezoning request from R2 residential to MXD2 corridor mixed use with conditions. I will start with a overview from our staff person. Melissa, thank you. Thank you. So the first request for new business, as you mentioned, is for a conditional rezoning quest from the existing R2 residential zoning category to MXD2 corridor mixed use with conditions as voluntarily offered by the petitioner.

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