By: Dean Vaglia | Macomb Chronicle | Published February 23, 2026
MACOMB TOWNSHIP — On Feb. 17, the Macomb Township Planning Commission met to consider a special land use request for a proposed Pilates studio in the township.
Approved unanimously by the five commissioners present (Kathy Smith and Michael Tremblay were absent), the issue before the commission asked whether Reformer Pilates Studio qualified for a special land use permit at the Stratford Plaza strip mall. The plan was put up against a set of criteria township planners use to judge special land use requests.
“With special land use, there’s eight criteria … that they must meet in order to qualify for a special land use,” Planning Director Josh Bocks said.
With the studio seeking to be approved as a “health/recreation facility” within the general commercial district C-2 zoning that applies to the mall, the first question addressed whether the special use would be “harmonious with the proper and orderly development of the surrounding neighborhood.” As the mall is already developed, no issues were seen here.
Planners then considered whether the studio would increase vehicle and pedestrian traffic in a way that would be harmful. Bocks saw no issues here given the mall already has nearly 400 parking spaces.
The third question, whether the studio would cause “nuisance emanating therefrom which might be noxious,” led to some questions seeking to clarify whether all activities were indoors and if loud music would be played. Petitioner Jim Moss confirmed all activities would be indoors and that music would be present.
“The music will be there, but when an instructor is teaching a class, they have to be able to hear (the instructor) through the class,” Moss said. “It’s not going to be anything that’s going to be overpowering. It has to flow with it; you don’t want it loud.”
The fourth question used to evaluate special land use requests asked whether the height of the proposed use and any landscaping would affect surrounding properties. The all-indoor studio using existing mall space without plans for exterior changes was quickly seen as in compliance with the question.
Planners next asked whether the use relates harmoniously in the area based on “prevailing shopping habits, convenience of access by prospective patrons, continuity of development and need for particular services and facilities in specific areas of the township.” Bocks said that since the plaza already has multiple uses within its units, adding a Pilates studio would not be an issue.
The sixth question asked whether the use is necessary for public convenience at that location. Bocks said this was “not necessarily a criteria that’s applicable” to the studio, though mentioned it could be convenient to have the studio somewhere around restaurants and other retail establishments.
Criteria seven asked whether the proposed use can be operated without harming public health, safety and welfare. With business taking place entirely indoors, Bocks did not expect any risks to public health coming from the studio.
The eighth and final question for special land use assessment asked whether the proposed use would be “detrimental or injurious to the neighborhood,” which the studio was not believed to be.
While commissioners did not have issues with the proposed use, Commissioner Aaron Tuckfield mentioned he had reason to believe the letter to the township about the site was produced using generative AI tools. While Tuckfield said he was only bringing up that point for the purpose of discussion, he said that he would be “much more likely to re-ask all of the questions that the letter may have covered, because I’m not entirely sure if they’re the correct answer or if you know the answer that would be given.”