City Council approves zoning overlay for Feldman Kia

NOVI — The Novi City Council gave its final stamp of approval for a planned rezoning overlay agreement with Feldman Kia during its July 28 meeting.

Feldman Kia is planning to build a car dealership, with accessory outside storage of inventory vehicles, on the currently vacant 4.88 acres of land on the south side of Grand River Avenue and Joseph Drive, where Glenda’s Garden Center once stood. To make the plan work, Feldman Kia had to have the area rezoned from non-center commercial to general business in order for a car dealership to be permitted in a B-3 district.

The dealership building will be 18,800 square feet with a mezzanine floor for parts storage. The parking lot will have approximately 300 spots.

The council tentatively approved the planned rezoning overlay and directed the city attorney to draft the PRO agreement following the April 9 recommendation by the city’s Planning Commission.

The dealership will be near professional offices, small strip retail centers, sit-down restaurants, and the U.S. Energy fuel supplier. There are also single-family dwellings located south of the property.

As such, the area is zoned I-1 light industrial in the north, OS-1 office service to the west, NCC Non-center commercial to the east, and R-4 one-family residential to the south.

In recognition of its neighbors, the dealership will place greater restrictions on itself. Feldman Kia will have greater building and parking setbacks than the B-3 zoning they have been granted requires.

The dealership will also limit its hours of operation. The dealership will be open Monday to Saturday. Feldman will also limit the hours of vehicle deliveries and the areas where vehicles can be delivered. Vehicle deliveries will only take place on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. in designated areas.

According to the PRO agreement, if the dealership has cars unloaded in an area where the public has the right of way, they are to be fined $1,000 for each occurrence. Should the dealership fail to pay the fine within 30 days, it will violate the agreement.

“City Council expressed a concern about car haulers unloading on Grand River. We took care of that with Feldman Kia, because it’s written right into the PRO agreement that there’s a stiff penalty if that happens,” said attorney David Landry, of Landry, Mazzeo, Dembinski & Stevens PC, who represents the dealership.

He said that is the biggest complaint, as the dealership does not control the car haulers. Landry said car haulers are not employed by Feldman Automotive or General Motors. He said all they can do is call the police when they fail to park in the designated zone. However, he said they will be more proactive about doing so, as it is in the PRO agreement.

Landry said that Feldman Chevrolet, which will take over the area where Feldman Kia currently sits, is also working to establish set locations for vehicle deliveries.

“We are getting ready and out in front (of this issue) to prevent (any problems),” Landry said.

Council members said they were pleased with the way the dealership addressed their concerns.

“Thank you guys for that. I appreciate that. I know that’s been something that several of us I’ve noticed have commented on. It’s just that we’re concerned about safety hazards and everything related to those vehicles being unloaded there. So, thank you,” Councilman Matt Heintz said.

“Thank you for listening to us. I see that every one is clearly written and every one of our comments were taken and worked with the city, and clearly I see the berm, the landscape, the shelters, the bus stop, everything, so thank you so much,” Councilwoman Priya Gurumurthy said.

The dealership also agreed to prohibit test drives on Joseph Drive.

The Feldman Kia project also includes the design and construction of three pedestrian seating areas as part of an enhanced sidewalk with nicer light poles along Joseph Drive, as well as two covered seating areas at nearby bus stops. According to the city, the dealership will coordinate with SMART as well as the city to determine where the appropriate shelters should be located.

“I really appreciate that you’re developing the site and that you’re doing the berm first,” said Mayor Pro Tem Laura Marie Casey. “I said it last time, and I’ll say it again. I really wish that would become more of a standard practice as developers are coming in and putting in a development up against existing residential.”

According to the city, the dealership asserts that, “taken together, the conditions result in a project that is in the public interest, whose benefits outweigh its potential detriments.”

The council voted to approve the PRO plan with a vote of 6-0. Councilwoman Ericka Thomas was absent from the meeting.