3-Land Use

The Land Use Plan Map presented on the following pages illustrates the proposed physical arrangements of land use for the City of Royal Oak. The Land Use Plan serves to translate community goals into a narrative and graphic illustration. It is based largely upon the existing land use, current zoning planning analysis, and the desires of the residents of the City of Royal Oak as expressed in the visioning workshops which were conducted to solicit public input.

The plan is prepared to serve as a policy for the City regarding current issues, land use decisions, investments in public improvements and future zoning decisions. The plan is intended to be a working document which will provide for the orderly development of the City, assist the community in its effort to maintain and enhance a pleasant living environment, while fostering economic development and redevelopment where needed.

The land use plan is based upon comments and opinions gathered during the planning process including numerous meetings with the Steering Committee and City staff, and the public input obtained from the visioning workshops. To this extent, it reflects general policy toward development and redevelopment within the City. The land use plan is based on equal consideration of a number of factors. These factors include:

The proposed land use categories were developed in an effort to create a long term plan for the development and redevelopment of the City of Royal Oak. These classifications and their general location are described in more detail below:

Residential

Low Density Single Family Residential

Low Density Single Family Residential provides for single family detached dwellings on individual lots requiring a minimum of 13,000 square feet of lot area provided for each dwelling.

This designation is intended to provide an environment of lower-density, single family detached dwellings, along with other related facilities such as parks and schools. There are only a few areas of low density single family residential in the City including the south side of Fourteen Mile east of Rochester Road, the Lakeside Drive neighborhood between Main Street and Rochester Highway, the Vinsetta Park neighborhood south of Twelve Mile between Woodward and the Railroad, and north of Thirteen Mile between Main Street and Quickstad Park.

    - Land use plan map

Medium Density Single Family Residential

Medium Density Single Family Residential provides for single family detached dwelling requiring a minimum of 5,000 square feet of lot area provided for each dwelling.

This designation is intended to provide an environment of medium-density, single family detached dwellings, along with other related facilities such as parks and schools. Aside from the neighborhoods identified above as Low Density Single Family, the remaining single family detached neighborhoods in Royal Oak are comprised of medium density single family residential housing.

These existing medium density single family residential neighborhoods include but are not limited to Arlington Park, Beverly Hills, the northern portion of Vinsetta Park, Forest Heights, Kensington-Highland, Lawson Park, Marks Park, Maudlin Park, Maxwell Park, Memorial Park, North Shrine Area, Connecticut Street Area, Oak Run, Oakview, Quickstad Park, Southpointe, Starr Park, Sullivan Park, and Wendland Park.

Attached/Detached Single Family Residential

Attached/Detached Single Family Residential provides for single family attached and detached dwellings requiring a minimum of 4,000 to 5,000 square feet of site area provided for each dwelling.

This category is intended to provide a transitional residential designation between single family residential as described above and more intense land uses such as office, commercial, or multiple family residential, and to allow a mix of housing types, including both attached and detached residential developments.

There are existing areas in the City developed at this density including the duplexes between Webster and Glenwood east of the Railroad, on the west side of Campbell Road, on the east side of Rochester Road, and on both sides of Fourth Street. This designation can accommodate a wide variety of single family developments.

Multiple Family Residential

Multiple Family Residential is intended to provide for multiple family dwelling units requiring a minimum of 2,400 to 4,800 square feet of site area provided for each dwelling depending on the number of bedrooms in each dwelling unit.

This designation to allow a higher density residential environment such as apartments, condominiums, and townhouses. High density residential can generate significant amount of traffic and therefore should be directly adjacent to a major thoroughfare. There are many areas of existing multiple family residential uses throughout the City, the largest being the Coventry Parkhomes Condominiums development in the northern portion of the City, and the new developments along I-696 along the southern border of the City including Main Street Square development and the Maryland Club development. Small pockets of other multiple family uses exist throughout the City. Both single and two family residential uses are permitted in this district. High density residential serves as a transition between non-residential districts and lower density residential uses and should be developed at a density no greater than nine to eighteen units an acre or 2,400 to 4,800 square feet of lot area per unit. No new areas of multiple family residential have been designated in the City.

Mixed Use

Two categories of mixed use are provided, each with a different emphasis. The mixed use designation is intended to provide for a dynamic environment of compatible uses. This designation will provide for a transition between more intensely developed commercial areas and residential areas and/or between busy thoroughfares and residential areas.

Mixed Residential/Office /Public/Institutional

Mixed Residential/Office/Public/Institution is intended to provide for a mixture of residential, public/institutional uses, professional office, general office, and business and personal service uses, but would not include retail commercial uses. Such uses may be located in combination with one another within a single building. Upper floor residential would be encouraged.

This land use designation is designed to maintain and promote the flexible redevelopment of certain areas of the City with a mixture of residential, public/institutional and office uses.

Areas of mixed residential/office uses are proposed for the south of Downtown on the east side of the Railroad, portions along Woodward Avenue, and areas along major roadways such as the north side of Thirteen Mile between Woodward and Greenfield Road. There are additional small pockets located on the northwest corner of I-75 and Fourth Street, the northeast corner of Normandy and Crooks Roads, and the west side of Crooks just north of Poplar Street.

Office uses allowed would be those compatible with residential uses. It is proposed that the City consider a new mixed residential/office zoning district which would allow single family and attached/detached residential housing as permitted uses, while multiple-family, schools, churches, day care and office uses would be allowed as special uses. This mixed residential classification may also provide locations for smaller scale senior housing developments that are compatible with adjacent neighborhoods. The intensity of the residential and office uses allowed would depend upon site characteristics. Upper floor residential would be encouraged.

Mixed Residential/Office/Commercial

Mixed Residential/Office/Commercial is intended to provide for a mixture of residential, office, and lower intensity commercial uses. This designation allows for any combination of residential, office or local commercial use. Upper floor residential above retail or office would be encouraged.

This land use designation is also designed to maintain and promote the flexible redevelopment of certain areas of the City. The emphasis of this designation is a combination of residential, office, and local commercial uses.

Mixed residential/office/commercial use areas are proposed for areas adjacent to the Central Business District, such as south of Downtown along Main Street including the hotel development area along I-696, the area between Main Street and the Railroad south of Lincoln, the area surrounding Oakland Community College south of Lincoln, and the Fourth Street area to Alexander Street. Additional areas of the mixed residential/office/commercial designation are located along commercial corridors such as portions of Woodward Avenue south of Lincoln Avenue, the west side of North Main Street south of Twelve Mile Road, the west side of Campbell Street between Bellaire and Gardenia Streets, the northwest corner of Twelve Mile and Crooks Roads, the southwest corner of Thirteen Mile and Woodward Avenue, the south side of Thirteen Mile between Beaumont Hospital and Greenfield Road, and areas along Rochester Highway near Thirteen Mile Road.

It is proposed that the City consider a new mixed-use residential/office/commercial zoning district which would allow residential uses as permitted uses, while office schools, churches, day and local commercial uses would be allowed as a special use based upon site specific conditions. This mixed-use residential classification may also provide locations for senior housing developments such as independent living, assisted living and congregate care. Upper-floor residential in combination with non-residential uses would be encouraged.

Commercial and Industrial

General Commercial

General Commercial is intended to provide suitable locations for general retail and service establishments. These types of commercial uses are generally developed along major roads. Uses typically found include larger supermarkets, discount stores, department stores, appliance and furniture stores, and specialty shops. These types of land uses rely on a market area much larger than that of the local commercial areas and can provide either convenience and/or comparison goods.

General Commercial may take the form of either a shopping center or groups of buildings sharing common access, architectural style and design elements. The General Commercial designation also includes special retail and service uses, such as garden sales, building supplies, and auto dealerships.

General commercial land uses are restricted to primarily the Woodward Avenue corridor, with an additional area in the northwest portion of the City north of Meijer Drive, and between Coolidge Highway and the Railroad north of the industrial area along Fourteen Mile Road.

Central Business District

Central Business District is exclusive to the commercial center of the City of Royal Oak. This designation is intended to promote the center of the City as a special business area offering a range of convenient commercial, specialty shops, personal services, housing, restaurants, business, governmental, office, and banking uses.

The Central Business District is exclusive to the commercial center of the City of Royal Oak which is the area between West Street, Eleven Mile Road, Troy Street and Lincoln Avenue with an additional area extending east to Knowles Street and north of Fourth Street. The CBD designation is designed to provide for pedestrian accessible mixed uses consisting of a variety of retail, banking, office, residential, civic, and service uses in the Downtown area. It should provide for the comparison shopping, entertainment, convenience, cultural, and service needs for the entire City of Royal Oak area. This district includes and promotes uses which would provide convenient pedestrian shopping along a continuous retail frontage. Automotive related services and other uses which tend to interfere with the continuity of retail frontage and hinder pedestrian circulation are discouraged.

Industrial

Industrial uses are considered warehousing, research, designing and manufacturing. Such uses are intended to be enclosed within a building and external effects are not to be experienced beyond their property boundaries. Outdoor storage is intended to be minimal. Such areas should be located on roads capable of adequately accommodating necessary truck traffic, and should be isolated from residential areas.

The industrial designation is designed to primarily accommodate warehousing, research, laboratory, and light manufacturing whose external and physical effects are restricted to the immediate area having only a minimal effect on surrounding districts. Outdoor storage is intended to be minimal. This category is also designed to provide, by special use approval, locations for general industrial activities such as those which involve the use of heavy machinery, extensive amounts of contiguous land, service by railroad lines or major thoroughfares, processing of chemicals or raw materials, assembly, generation of industrial waste, noise, odor, or traffic problems or similar characteristics. These uses would require service by large trucks. All industrial uses should be adequately screened from adjacent residential uses. The areas planned for industrial include the area east of Delemere Boulevard south of Fourteen Mile, the areas south of Bellaire Street east of Campbell, the area between Twelve Mile and Bellaire Street, and the area west of Delemere Boulevard and north of Fourteen Mile Road.

Parks and Open Space

Parks and Open Space is intended to provide public and private parks, recreation and open space systems.

This classification includes existing parks as specified in the City's 1999 Parks and Recreation Master Plan located throughout the City, as well as the City cemetery.

Public / Institutional

Areas designated as Public/Institutional land uses are intended to accommodate such activities as governmental and public buildings, schools, and churches.

This designation includes government service buildings such as City Hall, Farmers Market, library, etc.. It also includes elementary, middle, and high schools, Oakland Community College, and Beaumont Hospital.

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