Township looking at expanding type of mixed-use PUDs

The West Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees has approved the introduction of an amendment to a township zoning ordinance that would expand the types of planned unit developments (PUDs) available in the township.

The board’s action came on Monday, Jan. 24.

Sara Roediger, the township’s senior planner, stated in a memo that the amendment would expand upon the township’s current PUD regulations and allow for mixed-use and medical projects.

The amendment seeks to add two new sections for a mixed-use PUD and a medical PUD, stating that a mixed-use PUD must contain an integrated mixture of at least two different uses, such as residential, office, or retail.

Industrial uses would not be allowed in a mixed-use PUD unless the property has frontage on and access to Haggerty Road.

A medical PUD would be required to have a minimum of 5 acres and would apply to medical offices, clinics, hospitals, short-term stay facilities, meeting and related facilities, and ancillary commercial businesses.

The amendment would also expand upon the violations and penalties outlined under the ordinance, stating that any person, persons, firm or corporation, or anyone acting on behalf of them, violating any of the provisions of the regulations shall, upon conviction, be punished.

The current ordinance states that a PUD must satisfy at least three objectives of the township’s master plan that are listed. The new amendment would add “To promote sustainable design through mixture of uses, use of renewable energy and/or green building practices,” to that list.