Farmington Hills City Council postpones decision on Culver’s

FARMINGTON HILLS — At the Jan. 12 meeting of the Farmington Hills City Council, members voted to postpone a vote on a site plan for a Culver’s restaurant at 12 Mile and Orchard Lake roads until the applicant completes traffic and parking studies.

Joseph Tangari, a planner with Giffels Webster, requested several variances, including one that would allow a fast-food restaurant with a drive-thru in a district that currently allows neither.

A setback of 120 feet is typically required, as well; however, in some cases, businesses have been allowed 60-foot setbacks. Tangari requested a setback of 44.7 feet.

The zoning there also does not allow for order confirmation boards in the front of buildings. The petitioner asked for a variance making an exception.

“The Planning Commission did not make a definitive recommendation to allow those boards in the front yard in relief of the ordinance standards,” Tangari said.

Farmington Hills residents were not opposed to Culver’s coming to town, but they took issue with the specific location. Those who spoke said it will cause backups on 12 Mile Road, making it even more congested than it is now.

Councilwoman Valerie Knol mentioned it is difficult for cars to navigate the parking lot off 12 Mile because of the cement island that directs the traffic one way or the other.

Parking in the shopping center there is already at a premium, according to Randell Carron, the owner of Scrambles, a business also in the Orchard 12 Plaza.

“What they are proposing is going to put us out of business,” Carron said. “Parking is a huge issue. … You come by our restaurant on a Sunday… People are parking on the grass because the parking lot is full.”

“The parking study and the traffic study aren’t done,” he added. “They haven’t presented it tonight; all they’re doing is asking you for a bunch of variances. Why?”

Councilwoman Jackie Boleware said she would love to be able to vote for the project but at this point, she could not.

“The variances we are being asked to accept, I don’t see the public benefit,” she said.

Later in the presentation, the applicant said Culver’s is not a fast-food restaurant.

“We are 72% dine-in. We do not refer to ourselves as a fast-food restaurant. We cook our food to order,” said a representative from Culver’s.

The mayor encouraged the applicant to come back with the engineering, traffic and parking reports having been reviewed by the city’s engineering department. She also suggested to have a more detailed presentation, citing what they said, that Culver’s is a dine-in restaurant.

“But for you just saying it, we wouldn’t have known,” Rich said.

Culver’s representatives are scheduled to present the revised site plan at the Feb. 23 council meeting.