February 18th Hands-On Aesthetics Workshop for I-75

As I mentioned previously, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is conducting a series of Hands on Aesthetics Workshops in preparation for the future widening of I-75 through Troy and other Oakland County Communities.

The next workshop will be on February 18, 2014 in Room 304 of the Troy Community Center on 3179 Livernois Road. The public is invited to drop in anytime between 1:00 and 7:00 PM on that date. Click on the image below for additional details on the February workshop.

Troy Zoning Board of Appeals - January 2014 Meeting Recap

City staff has posted the video recording of the 1/21/14 Troy Zoning Board of Appeals meeting to YouTube. At the bottom of this post is the video.

Click here to view the agenda from the January 21st meeting.

Click here to download the entire Agenda Packet from the January 21st meeting.

Troy ZBA Decides ... ADAM Community Center is a Place of Worship

As I mentioned last month...

The Troy Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) was asked to interpret whether the proposed principal use of the property at 4924 Rochester Road "constitutes a community center, a club, place of worship, or some other use under the City’s Zoning Ordinance." FYI... this is the old location of Marinelli's Restaurant in Troy.

The issue was decided earlier this week by the ZBA upon which I sit as one of the seven members. The ZBA, on a 5 to 2 vote, interpreted that the proposed use of the property at 4924 Rochester Road constitutes a place of worship.

I cast one of the two "No" votes because I thought that the ZBA did not have enough information to come to that conclusion. While the ADAM Community Center is clearly a religious organization, my opinion was that there are too many conflicting facts to render a decision that the proposed use constitutes a place of worship.

Regardless of the outcome, I commend my ZBA colleagues and City staff for their balanced assessment of the facts on this contentious issue.