04.22.2026 Planning Board Meeting

The City of Birmingham, MI Planning Board held a regular meeting on April 22, 2026, primarily focused on the preliminary site plan and design review for a new 9-story mixed-use building at 34952 Woodward and 690 East Maple. A significant portion of the discussion centered on parking requirements, including a requested waiver for parking spaces below ordinance requirements, with detailed analysis from city consultants and the applicant's traffic engineers. The board debated the appropriate level of parking reduction, with suggestions to lower the requested waiver percentage to a more palatable range around 25-35%. The board unanimously voted to postpone the site plan and design review decision to the May 13, 2026 meeting to allow further consideration. Additionally, the meeting included a kickoff session for updating the city's zoning ordinance to align with the recently approved master plan, emphasizing community engagement, zoning best practices, and addressing issues such as neighborhood quality, parking regulations, and sustainable design. The board discussed the importance of clear zoning procedures and the need for user-friendly regulations to support ongoing development and neighborhood preservation.