Planning commission approves preliminary site plan for AJ's Appliance at 32540 Utica Road with conditions

The Fraser Planning Commission on Aug. 5 approved a preliminary site plan for AJ's Appliance Repair & HVAC at 32540 Utica Road, subject to conditions listed in the planner's July 15 memorandum and an added requirement that the applicant obtain any and all necessary variances.

Dan Comer, the city planner, told the commission the 1.16-acre parcel contains a 2,572-square-foot building and is currently nonconforming in several respects, including lot size and driveway dimensions. He said the applicant proposes six parking spaces (including one van-accessible ADA space), a 7-foot interior sidewalk and a 500-square-foot loading zone, and that staff needs a dimensioned floor plan to verify parking calculations and several final site details. "The applicant shall obtain a variance for the driveway width or submit a revised plan with a 2 way driveway width equaling 30 feet or greater," Comer said, reading the engineering requirement.

Commissioners pressed for specifics on drainage, pedestrian access and landscaping. Comer said the city engineer would review stormwater grading and that work in Utica Road's right-of-way requires Macomb County Road Commission approval. Commissioner Meyer flagged that the westernmost parking stall may encroach on a 70-foot setback and asked that any retained stall be covered by a variance condition; Commissioner Tuller successfully moved to approve the plan with the staff conditions plus a catch-all variance requirement, and Commissioner Farina seconded.

Applicant Anthony Jennings, who identified himself at the hearing, described planned building façade upgrades, roof repairs and resurfacing of the parking area. "We've done the site plan; I've got quotes for redoing the inside front of the flooring," Jennings said. The commission voted unanimously to approve the conditional preliminary site plan; staff will require the applicant to submit the final materials and obtain the listed permits and variances before final administrative sign-off.