Doing Business
Our Novi community continues to host major investments and be a
desirable location for businesses and residents to locate. Our great
location, high-quality education choices, powerful retail magnet
presence, excellent public safety and dynamic high-tech office
opportunity are just some of the qualities Novi offers. In 2005,
Novi had the highest amount of significant and new investment
activity in the State of Michigan. We are working hard as a staff to
be the best place for continued quality investment. The purpose of
this correspondence is to provide you with an update on several
significant streamlining and modernization initiatives to continue
being a great place to do business.
Development Review Process
Review and Recommendations
We are committed to process improvement within our City of Novi
organization. The building permit and site plan review process has
many steps and participants which lends itself to a review. Earlier
this year, we recommended, and the City Council supported, using
outside expertise to assist a City staff team to review current
processes and make recommendations. We retained the Sikich Group for
this work. The recommendations will be focused on saving time from
unnecessary work so that businesses and the City can focus on items
that are truly important and continue to deliver quality projects
which mean standards and ordinances. The final Sikich report has
been accepted and is being implemented.
Site Plan Approval Process & Estimated
Timeline
Sign Ordinance
A major initiative is updating our sign ordinance to modernize,
clarify, and open, in certain circumstances, to better serve the
community. For several months, City Council’s Ordinance Review
Committee (ORC) deliberated over the sign regulations. The ORC spent
considerable time reviewing the ordinance. The new ordinance
represents a balance of meeting economic needs of business while
maintaining high standards and safety. Responding to the needs of
office uses, which represent a substantial amount of investment and
are a major presence in Novi, the ordinance now allows both a wall
sign and a ground sign in the OS zoning districts for buildings more
than 40,000 square feet. Other uses, such as restaurant uses, are
given additional signage as well.
Sign Ordinance Effective 9/23/06
Office Service Technology Zoning District
Increased Height Allowance in Appropriate Areas
Our OST Zoning District continues to attract high-value and
desirable job creators. To keep this momentum, the Novi City Council
requested, the Planning Commission recommended, a change to the OST
Planned Office Service Technology District regarding building height
requirements for land border freeways north of Grand River Avenue.
The change does not alter our predominantly low-rise suburban
character, but does give flexibility for the future. The
contemplated change to a 115’ maximum building height under limited
circumstances is modeled on the height maximum that Providence
Hospital is now using.
Zoning Map
Streamlining Review of Outdoor Seating at Restaurants
Currently, the Zoning Ordinance expressly authorizes outdoor
seating in only the TC and TC-1 zoning districts. Users in all other
commercial districts must go to the Zoning Board of Appeals for
approval. This is a fairly onerous process for businesses to go
through in light of the fact that the request is often for two or
three tables on the sidewalk. The new ordinance allows for outdoor
seating for existing restaurants.
Restaurant Outdoor Seating Ordinance Update
Streamlining Review of Temporary Uses
Temporary uses include items such as construction trailers, sales
trailers, concrete batch plants, tent sales, sidewalk sales, etc.
The notification process is being changed from a Public Hearing to
an administrative review of temporary uses with an option for public
advertising, under limited circumstances as warranted.
Temporary Special Land Use Ordinance
Retail Parking Standards
A concern was raised that the City of Novi Zoning Ordinance does
not effectively account for difference in demand generated by many
types of retail activity, and the overall standards may be higher
than the City would desire. The Planning Department has formulated a
number of recommendations to bring shopping center parking standards
more in line with current findings contained within respected
research studies and in order to address perceived concerns about
excessive parking for certain types of retail uses. By allowing
minimum parking standards closer to the number of spaces needed for
the majority of situations, the City would be promoting the
redevelopment possibility of some of the established shopping
centers and other retail uses in our city.
Retail Parking Standards Update
For more information on any of these initiatives, contact Cindy
Uglow, Neighborhood and Small Business Manager at 248-347-0437 or
via email.
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