city of st. clair shores master plan - St. Clair Shores, MI

Transcription

2016
CITY OF ST. CLAIR SHORES
MASTER PLAN
DRAFT
January, 2016
FOR REVIEW PURPOSES ONLY
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
City Council
Kip C. Walby, Mayor
John D. Caron, Mayor Pro-Tem
Peter A. Accica, Councilmember
Ronald J. Frederick, Councilmember
Peter A. Rubino, Councilmember
Candice B. Rusie, Councilmember
Chris M. Vitale, Councilmember
Planning Commission
Update List of Commissioners
Community Services Director
Christopher Rayes, AICP, RA
City Planner
Liz Koto, AICP
Planning Consultants
Carlisle/Wortman Associates
605 S. Main Street, Suite 1
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
6
(Page Intentionally Left Blank)
ii
City of St. Clair Shores Master Plan DRAFT – February, 2016
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I N T R O D U C T I O N ........................................................................... 1
S O C I A L P R O F I L E ........................................................................ 5
P O P U L A T I O N ...........................................................................................6
H O U S E H O L D S ..........................................................................................7
AG E
AND
R A C E ....................................................................................9
I NCOME, EDUCATION AND
E M P L O Y M E N T.......................................................................................1 1
H O U S I N G ...............................................................................................1 4
P H Y S I C A L P R O F I L E ................................................................. 1 9
E X I S T I N G L A N D U S E .........................................................................1 9
COM M UNI TY F ACI LI TI ES/
P A R K S A N D R E C R E A T I O N ..............................................................2 2
T R A N S P O R T A T I O N ................................................................... 2 9
R OAD W AY C L AS S I FI CATI ON AN D
R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y ..................................................................................3 0
TRAFFIC COUNTS, CRASH LOCATIONS
R O A D C O N D I T I O N S ...............................................................3 4
AND
N O N - M O T O R I Z E D T R A N S P O R T A T I O N ........................................ 3 8
OPPORTUNITIES
FOR
C H A N G E ....................................................3 9
E N V I R O N M E N T A L L E A D E R S H I P............................................ 4 5
ECONOM IC DEVELOPM ENT AND N ATUR AL
F E A T U R E P R E S E R V A T I O N ................................................................4 5
L O W I M P A C T D E V E L O P M E N T .......................................................4 6
B R O W N F I E L D R E D E V E L O P M E N T ...................................................4 7
R E D E V E L O P M E N T I N C E N T I V E S .....................................................4 7
T R A N S P O R T A T I O N ..............................................................................4 9
G R E E N B U I L D I N G ..............................................................................5 0
URBAN FORM
AN D
N E I G H B O R H O O D D E S I G N ...................... 5 1
C O M M U N I T Y E N E R G Y P L A N N I N G...............................................5 2
P U B L I C P A R T I C I P A T I O N ........................................................ 5 5
G O A L S A N D A C T I O N S .......................................................... 5 9
R ESI DEN TI AL R EDEV EL OPM EN T
N E I G H B O R H O O D P R E S E R V A T I O N ..................................... 6 0
AND
M I X E D U S E D E V E L O P M E N T ...........................................................6 2
C O R R I D O R I M P R O V E M E N T ............................................................6 3
I NDUSTRI AL
AND
C OM M ERCI AL R EI N VES TM EN T
A N D R E D E V E L O P M E N T .....................................................................6 5
iii
W A T E R F R O N T U S E S / J E F F E R S O N A V E N U E ............................... 6 7
T R A N S P O R T A T I O N .............................................................................. 6 8
E N V I R O N M E N T A L L E A D E R S H I P ..................................................... 6 9
F U T U R E L AN D U S E AN D
I N V E S T M E N T A R E A P L A N ...................................................... 7 1
R E S I D E N T I A L D I S T R I C T S.................................................................. 7 2
M I X E D U S E D I S T R I C T S..................................................................... 8 3
N O N - R E S I D E N T I A L D I S T R I C T S...................................................... 9 0
I N V E S T M E N T A R E A P L A N ............................................................... 9 4
Z O N I N G P L A N ....................................................................... 1 0 5
ROLE
OF THE
Z O N I N G P L A N ..................................................... 1 0 5
ROLE
OF THE
M A S T E R P L A N ..................................................... 1 0 5
ROLE
OF THE
Z O N I N G O R D I N A N C E ....................................... 1 0 6
D I S T R I C T S T A N D A R D S................................................................... 1 0 6
R E S I D E N T I A L Z O N I N G D I S T R I C T S ............................................ 1 0 7
M I X E D - U S E Z O N I N G D I S T R I C T S ............................................... 1 0 9
N O N - R E S I D E N T I A L Z O N I N G D I S T R I C T S ................................ 1 1 0
R ECOM M ENDED ZONING ORDI N AN CE
T E X T A C T I O N S..................................................................................1 1 3
R E C O M M E N D E D Z O N I N G M A P A C T I O N S ............................ 1 1 4
I M P L E M E N T A T I O N P L A N ..................................................... 1 1 5
I M P L E M E N T A T I O N T A B L E ............................................................. 1 1 6
A D D I T I O N A L I M P L E M E N T A T I O N M E A S U R E S ........................ 1 1 7
E N V I R O N M E N T A L S T E W A R D S H I P .............................................. 1 1 9
C A P I T A L I M P R O V E M E N T S P R O G R A M ..................................... 1 2 1
P L A N E D U C A T I O N .......................................................................... 1 2 1
P L A N U P D A T E S ................................................................................ 1 2 1
iv
FI GURES
1 . M A S T E R P L A N N I N G P R O C E S S .................................................3
2 . R E G I O N A L L O C A T I O N .................................................................5
3. POPULATION TRENDS
P R O J E C T I O N S .........................6
AND
4 . H O U S E H O L D S I Z E ..........................................................................8
5. PERCENTAGE
OF
POPULATION
6. PROJECTED POPULATION
A G E .......................... 1 0
A G E ..................................... 1 0
BY
7. POPULATION DISTRIBUTION
BY
BY
R A C E .............................. 1 1
8 . H I G H E S T E D U C A T I O N A L A T T A I N M E N T .............................. 1 3
9. EM PLOYM ENT
10 . O W N E R
AND
BY
I N D U S T R Y ...................................................1 4
R E N T E R - O C C U P I E D H O U S I N G.................. 1 5
1 1 . N E W R E S I D E N T I A L B U I L D I N G P E R M I T S............................. 1 8
12 . C R A S H E S
BY
T Y P E .....................................................................3 4
T AB L ES
1 . A R E A P O P U L A T I O N C O M P A R I S O N ........................................7
2 . H O U S E H O L D D E M O G R A P H I C S .................................................8
3. PER
C API T A/ M EDI AN
H O U S E H O L D I N C O M E ................. 1 2
4 . H O U S I N G T Y P E ............................................................................1 5
5 . M EDI AN HO US EH OL D VAL UE
AND
G R O S S R E N T......... 1 7
6 . 2 0 0 8 L A N D U S E .........................................................................2 0
7 . R E C R E A T I O N A C R E A G E S ........................................................2 6
8 . H I G H - C R A S H I N T E R S E C T I O N S ..............................................3 6
9 . R O A D W A Y I M P R O V E M E N T S ....................................................3 7
1 0 . B U S R O U T E S .................................................................................3 8
1 1 . I M P L E M E N T A T I O N S C H E D U L E ............................................. 1 1 7
MAPS
1 . E X I S T I N G L A N D U S E M A P ...................................... 2 1
2 . C O M M U N I T Y F A C I L I T I E S M A P ................................ 2 4
3 . N A T I O N A L F U N C T I O N A L C L A S S I F I C A T I O N M A P ...... 3 2
4 . P R I M A R Y S T R E E T N E T W O R K M A P ........................... 3 5
5 . F U T U R E L A N D U S E M A P ......................................... 7 3
6 . I N V E S T M E N T A R E A M A P ........................................ 9 5
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City of St. Clair Shores Master Plan DRAFT - February 2016
INTRODUCTION
WHAT IS PLANNING?
Planning is a process that involves the conscious selection of
policy choices relating to land use, growth, and physical
development of the community. The purpose of the City of
St. Clair Shores Master Plan is to identify and prioritize the city’s
goals, objectives and actions regarding land use and
development.
THE MASTER PLAN
The Master Plan is the city’s official planning document which
sets forth growth and development policies for the future of
the community. The City Council and Planning Commission
hold the responsibility to prepare and adopt a Master Plan on
behalf of the city. The city derives its authority for the
preparation of a Master Plan from Public Act 33 of 2008, as
amended. MCL 125.3833 Sec. 33 states:
A master plan shall address land use and
infrastructure issues and may project 20 years or more
into the future. A master plan shall include maps,
plats, charts, and descriptive, explanatory, and other
related matter and shall show the Planning
Commission’s recommendations for the physical
development of the planning jurisdiction.
HOW IS THE PLAN TO BE USED?
The Master Plan is used in a variety of ways:
1. Most important, the Plan is a general statement of the
city’s goals and policies and provides a single,
comprehensive view of the community’s desires for the
future.
City of St. Clair Shores Master Plan DRAFT – January, 2016
1
2. The Plan serves as an aid in daily decision-making. The
goals and policies outlined in the Plan guide the Planning
Commission, City Council and other municipal bodies in
their deliberations on zoning, subdivision, capital
improvements and other matters related to land use and
development.
3. The Plan provides the statutory basis upon which zoning
decisions are made. The Michigan Planning Enabling Act
(P.A. 33 of 2008, as amended) requires that the zoning
ordinance be based upon a plan designed to promote
public health, safety and general welfare. It is important
to note that the Master Plan and accompanying maps do
not replace other City Ordinances, specifically the Zoning
Ordinance and Map.
4. The Plan attempts to coordinate public improvements and
private development
supported by the Capital
Improvements Plan. For example, public investments such
as road or sewer and water improvements should be
located in areas identified in the Plan as resulting in the
greatest benefit to the city and its residents.
5. Finally, the Plan serves as an educational tool and gives
citizens, property owners, developers and adjacent
communities a clear indication of the city’s direction for
the future.
In summation, the City of St. Clair Shores Master Plan is the
community’s officially adopted document that sets forth
an agenda for the achievement of goals and policies. It is
a long-range statement of general goals and policies aimed
at the unified and coordinated development of the city. As
such, the Master Plan provides the basis upon which zoning
and land use decisions are made.
2
PLAN UPDATE
This document represents an update to the City of St. Clair
Shores 2008 Master Plan. Because communities are constantly
changing, the information contained in a plan may become
outdated in time. As the conditions change, so do
opportunities and expectations for the future. It is therefore
essential to periodically update the information contained in
the Master Plan as well as re-evaluate its basic vision and
implementation programs. Current state legislation requires a
review of a Master Plan every five (5) years.
THE PLANNING PROCESS
The process to update the Plan consists of five (5) phases:
community profile; public participation; goals and actions;
future land use plan; implementation plan; and adoption.
Many factors that exist must be taken into account when
formulating plans for the future. This process is illustrated in
Figure 1:
Figure 1. – Master Planning Process
What do we
have?
Research +
Analysis
Plan
Monitoring
What do we
want?
Is the Plan
working?
Community
Input + Goals
Getting
There
Implementation
How do we
get there?
The Master
Plan
3
4
SOCIAL PROFILE
LOCATION + REGIONAL SETTING
The City of St. Clair Shores is located in southeast
Macomb County (see Figure 2, below) and is
approximately 14.28 square miles in size. St Clair Shores
borders Grosse Pointe Shores, Grosse Pointe Woods and
Harper Woods to the South (Wayne County), Eastpointe
and Roseville to the East, and Clinton Township and
Harrison Township to the North. The city is about 13 miles
northeast of downtown Detroit. With its key location
along the shores of Lake Saint Clair, St. Clair Shores
grew rapidly after World War II, developing from a
resort community to a mature suburban city. Prior to its
incorporation in 1951, St. Clair Shores was recognized as
the largest village in the United States.
Social Profile
Highlights
• Between 2000 and 2010, St.
Clair Shore’s population
decreased from 63,096 to
59,715 - a 5.4 % decrease.
• The current population is
projected to increase to
61,416 by 2040, a 2.8%
increase from 2010.
• Between 1990 and 2010,
household size decreased
from 2.49 to 2.24 persons
per household.
• By 2040, household size is
projected at 2.22 persons
per household.
• More than half of the
Figure 2 – Regional Location
population of St. Clair
Shores is over the age of
35.
• The median age in St. Clair
Shores is 44.2 years.
• Over 50 percent of St. Clair
Shores’ residents over the
age of 25 have some
college education.
Macomb County
Michigan
Source: Wikipedia
5
POPULATION
Existing and Projected Population
The population of St. Clair Shores peaked in 1970 following a
period of sharp growth between 1950 and 1960. Between
1970 and 2000, however, the city’s population gradually
declined, falling from 88,093 to 63,096. The 2010 Census
reported a population of 59,715, representing a decrease of
nearly 30 percent since 1970 and a decrease of 5 percent
since 2000. This population loss may be attributed to smaller
average household size and a decline in the total number of
households within the city. Despite this population decline,
SEMCOG projects that the city’s population growth rate will
level off within the next decade and remain relatively stable
until 2040, as shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3 – Population Trends and Projections, 1960 to 2040
100,000
Population
80,000
60,000
Reported
Population
40,000
Projected
Population
20,000
0
Year
Source: SEMCOG Community Profile and U.S. Census Bureau
The majority of communities surrounding St. Clair Shores
experienced population decline between 2000 and 2010,
with the exception of Harrison Township and Clinton Township.
6
Table 1 provides a population comparison between St. Clair
Shores and the surrounding communities.
Table 1 – Area Population Comparison, 2000-2010
2000
St. Clair Shores
Harrison Township
Clinton Township
Roseville
Grosse Pointe
Woods
Eastpointe
Fraser
Macomb County
Southeast Michigan
2010
Change (2000-2010)
#
%
63,096
24,461
95,648
48,129
17,080
59,715
24,587
96,796
47,299
16,135
-3,381
126
1,148
-830
-945
-5.4%
0.5%
1.2%
-1.7%
-5.5%
34,077
15,297
788,149
4,833,368
32,442
14,480
840,978
4,704,809
-1,635
-817
52,829
-128,559
-4.8%
-5.3%
6.7%
-2.7%
HOUSEHOLDS
Household Number and Size
According to the U.S. Census, St. Clair Shores had 26,585
households in 2010. This reflects a 3.1 percent decrease from
the number of households reported in 2000. However,
SEMCOG predicts that the number of households will
increase to approximately 29,245 by the year 2040. This
projection reflects a national trend, whereas the overall
decrease in the number of people in a community does not
necessarily decrease the need for housing, as fewer people
are living in each remaining household. Table 2 reflects
current and projected trends in household demographics.
Between 2000 and 2010, the percentage of family
households in St. Clair Shores decreased by 3% while the
percentage of non-family households increased by 3%.
“Family households” consist of a householder and one or
more other people related to the household by birth,
marriage or adoption. Conversely, “non-family households”
Multi-Family Housing
Smaller average household
sizes may imply a growing
demand for smaller homes,
such as apartments and
townhomes.
If designed correctly and
placed in the right location,
multi-family residential
development can add
architectural variety to a
neighborhood.
Ashley Mews – Ann Arbor
7
consist of people living alone or households which do not
have any members related to the householder.
Table 2 – Household Demographics, 2000-2040
Number of Households
Percent Family
Households
Percent Non-Family
Households
26,585
%
Change
20002010
-3.1%
29,245
63%
60%
-3%
-
37%
40%
3%
-
2000
2010
27,434
2040
Household size, which is rapidly declining in line with the
generation gap, consequently fuels the maintenance of the
number of households in a community, regardless of an
ongoing population decrease. Household size decreased
slightly from 2.3 persons per household in 2000 to 2.24 persons
per household in 2010. SEMCOG predicts that household size
will continue to decrease, and projects that it will fall to 2.22
persons per household by 2040. Figure 4 illustrates current and
projected household size. The decrease in household size has
several plausible explanations, including: a decrease in the
number of children being born, couples having children later
in life and an increasing number of aging baby boomers or
“empty nesters.”
Figure 4- Household Size, 1990-2040
Household Size
(Persons)
3
2.5
2.49
2.28
2.24
2.22
2000
2010
2040
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
1990
Year
8
Source: SEMCOG Community
Profile and U.S. Census Bureau
AGE AND RACE
Age Composition
More than half of the population of St. Clair Shores is over the
age of 35. As shown in Figure 5, over 40 percent of residents
are between the ages of 35-64. The 65 and older and 18-34
age groups contain the next highest proportion of residents,
both with nearly 20 percent of the population. Figure 4
illustrates that, like St. Clair Shores, adjacent communities such
as Harrison Township and Fraser have the greatest
percentage of population within the 35-64 age group.
Additionally, the identified communities all have a fairly similar
age distribution.
According to the 2010 Census, the median age in the city
was 44.2 years - considerably higher than the county-wide
median age (39.9 years) and the United States as a whole
(37.2 years). The city’s median age is also higher than that of
many adjacent communities. St. Clair Shores’ high median
age is reflected in the fact that nearly 20 percent of city
residents are over the age of 65. In comparison, only 14.3
percent of Macomb County residents and 13 percent of
United States citizens as a whole are in the 65 and over age
cohort. The higher median age of the city may also provide
some explanation for St. Clair Shore’s declining average
household size, as it implies a larger number of “emptynesters.”
Aging in Place
Although St. Clair Shores’
population is aging, the city is
not alone. By 2030, 1 in 5 U.S.
residents will be 65 years or
older. Macomb County’s “The
Aging of Macomb County”
initiative aims to cultivate and
support livable communities
for all generations, a concept
known as “aging in place.”
The report discusses the
following civic issues with
respect to quality of life for
the elderly in Macomb
County:
•
•
•
•
•
Existing County Resources
Land Use & Housing
Mobility & Transportation
Service and Engagement
Health Care, Personal Care
and Wellness
The report is available for
download at:
www.macombcountymi.gov
9
Figure 5. – Percentage of Population by Age, 2010
Percentage of Population
50%
40%
St. Clair Shores
Harrison Township
30%
Clinton Township
20%
Roseville
Eastpointe
10%
0%
Fraser
Under 5
5-17
18-34
35-64
65+
Macomb County
Age Group
As an element of their population forecast, SEMCOG breaks
down the projected population by age group. This projection
generates a forecast for each age group’s growth trends
over the next 30 years. Figure 6 demonstrates the projected
shifts in the population by age. The 35-59 age group is
projected to see the largest decrease, while the 60-64 group
is projected to see a mild decrease. All other age groups,
however, are projected to remain steady or increase in
population. It is important to note that the 65-74 and 75+ age
groups will see the largest increase, as this growth will have
implications for the city’s senior-related services.
Figure 6. – Projected Population by Age, 2010-2040
25,000
Population
20,000
15,000
2010
2040
10,000
5,000
0
Under
5
5-17
18-24 25-34 35-59 60-64 65-74
75+
Age Group
10
Racial Composition
The 2010 Census reported that the City’s racial makeup is 92.7
percent White, 4 percent African American, and less than 1
percent of the following: Asian, American Indian, Pacific
Islander, Multi-Racial, and other races. About 1.7 percent of
the population is of Hispanic or Latino origin. The Census
reports that the city’s southern-most census tracts (Tracts
2515, 2516, 2517, 2518, 2519, 2520, and 2521) saw the largest
increase in African American population between 2000 and
2010. Figure 7 illustrates St. Clair Shore’s racial composition.
Figure 7. – Population Distribution by Race, 2010
White (92.7%)
African American (3.9%)
American Indian (0.3%)
Asian (1%)
Pacific Islander (0.1%)
Multi-Racial (1.8%)
Other (0.2%)
INCOME, EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT
Income
According to the American Community Survey, St. Clair
Shores has a higher per capita income than Macomb County
and Southeast Michigan, but a slightly lower median
household income than both. While both statistics are
meaningful, median household income tends to provide a
11
more accurate picture of a city’s income distribution than per
capita income. The American Community Survey reported
that the 2010 median household income in St. Clair Shores
was $52,357, down from the 2000 median income of $ 64,196.
This decline is likely the result of a variety of factors, including
a decrease in manufacturing jobs, an aging population with
an increased number of retired residents, and a general
decline in the recent health of the economy. Table 3 shows
the per capita income and median household income for St.
Clair S h o r e s , M a c o m b C o u n t y a n d S o u t h e a s t
Michigan.
Table 3 – Per Capita Income and Median Household
Income, 2000 and 2010 (in 2010 dollars)
Per Capita
Income
St. Clair
Shores
Macomb
County
Southeast
Michigan
%
Change
Median
Household
Income
2000
2010
%
Change
2000
2010
$32,733
$28,094
-14.20%
$64,196
$52,357
-18.40%
$31,996
$26,524
-17.10%
$68,194
$53,996
-20.80%
$32,350
$27,637
-14.60%
$65,415
$53,242
-18.60%
Source: SEMCOG Community Profile and American Community Survey, 5-year Estimates
Graduation Rates
Education
The Center for
Educational Performance
and Information released
the following 4-year
graduation rates for St.
Clair Shores’ three main
public high schools for
the 2009-2010 school
year:
Lake Shore: 89.42%
Lakeview: 84.85%
South Lake: 86.94%
State of MI: 75.95%
12
The educational attainment of St. Clair Shores residents is very
similar to that of Macomb County as a whole. As indicated in
Figure 8, over 50 percent of St. Clair Shores’ residents have at
least some college education - nearly identical to the
educational attainment of Macomb County. Over 15
percent of St. Clair Shores residents have a bachelor’s
degree and nearly 7 percent have a graduate or
professional degree. Similar to Macomb County as a whole,
about 9 percent of St. Clair Shores residents over the age of
25 did not graduate high school. This secondary educational
attainment level is stronger than Southeast Michigan as a
whole, in which 12.2 percent of the population age 25 and
over did not graduate high school; However, St. Clair Shores is
slightly behind Southeast Michigan in the percentage of
residents with bachelor’s degrees (17 percent throughout the
region compared to 15.5 percent in the city) and persons
having a graduate or professional degree (11.5 percent for
the region compared to 7.1 percent in the city).
Figure 8. – Highest Educational Attainment (percentage of
population age 25 and over)
Graduate or
Professional Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Associate Degree
Some College, No
Degree
High School Graduate
St. Clair Shores
Macomb
County
Southeast
Michigan
Did not Graduate High
School
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
Percentage of Population (Age 25 and over)
Source: SEMCOG Community Profile and American Community Survey, 5-year Estimates
Employment
Employment characteristics in the City of St. Clair Shores are
generally similar to national trends. As shown in Figure 9, the
city’s largest employment sectors (for jobs in the city, not
necessarily jobs held by residents) are manufacturing and
educational, health and social services. Manufacturing jobs
declined significantly between 2000 and 2012, while servicerelated jobs increased significantly in the same period.
SEMCOG projects that the number of service-related jobs will
13
increase significantly by 2040, while manufacturing and retail
jobs will continue to decline.
Figure 9. – Employment by Industry (as a percentage of total
employment), 2000-2012
Construction
Manufacturing
Retail Trade
Finance, Insurance and Real Estate
Professional, Scientific, Administrative
and Waste Management Services
2000
2012
Educational, Health and Social
Services
Arts, Entertainment, Recreation, and
Accommodation/Food Services
Public Administration
Other Services
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
Percentage of Total Employment
Source(s): 2000 U.S. Census and American Community Survey, 5-year Estimates
HOUSING
Housing Unit Type
Based on SEMCOG data, and as shown in Figure 10, 77
percent of housing units in St. Clair Shores are owneroccupied units, nearly 17 percent are renter occupied units
and the remainder (6 percent) are vacant. The American
Community Survey, 5-year estimates state that the
predominant housing structure type in St. Clair Shores is singlefamily detached homes, making up over 80 percent of the
14
housing stock. Approximately 12.5 percent of units are multiunit apartments with the remainder being one-family
attached homes, mobile homes or duplexes and townhomes.
Table 4 depicts the change in the quantities of housing type
between 2000 and 2010.
Figure 10. – Owner and Renter-Occupied Housing, 2010
6%
Owner Occupied (21,786 units)
17%
Renter Occupied (4,799 units)
77%
Vacant (1,882 units)
Source(s): SEMCOG and American Community Survey, 5-year estimates
Since 2000, the number of single-family detached homes,
duplexes and townhouses/attached condo units has
increased. Conversely, the number of multi-unit apartments
and mobile homes has decreased.
Table 4 – Housing Type, 2000-2010
Housing Type
Single Family Detached
Duplex
Townhouse/Attached
Condo
Multi-Unit Apartment
Mobile Home
Other
Total
2000
22,704
153
2010
23,386
211
Change
682
58
1,444
3,835
71
5
28,212
1,603
3,583
48
0
28,831
159
-252
-23
-5
619
Source(s): SEMCOG, 2000 U.S. Census, and American Community Survey, 5-year estimates
15
New Residential Development
In 2014, the Fair Housing
Center of Metropolitan
Detroit (FHCMD) prepared an
update to St. Clair Shores’
Analysis of Impediments to
Fair Housing Choice (AI). An
AI is required for continued
eligibility for CDBG Block
Grants from the U.S.
Department of Housing and
Urban Development (HUD).
The AI, in conjunction with
this Master Plan, serves as
the basis for fair housing
efforts within St. Clair Shores.
In short, the AI is a review of
a jurisdiction’s laws and
administrative policies/
practices affecting the
availability, location and
accessibility of housing, as
well as an assessment of
conditions affecting fair
housing choice.
The AI covers the following
areas related to fair housing
choice:
1. Sale/Rental of dwellings;
2. Financial assistance;
3. Public policies affecting
approval/construction of
publicly-assisted housing;
4. Administrative policies
affecting community
development and
housing; and
5. List of actions that could
remedy discriminatory
conditions.
16
Building permits were granted for 310 new single-family
homes and 38 new attached condominium units between
2000 and 2013. Between 2008 and 2013, however, only 28
total building permits were granted. The drastic decline in
new residential units was likely the result of the economic
downturn of 2008. Figure 11 below illustrates single-family and
attached condominium building permits in St. Clair Shores
between 2000 and 2013.
Figure 11 – New Single-Family and Attached Condominium
Residential Building Permits, 2000-2013
60
50
Building Permits
Analysis of
Impediments to Fair
Housing Choice
40
Single-Family
30
20
Attached
Condominiums
10
0
Year
Source(s): SEMCOG Residential Building Permits, 2013
Housing Cost
In 2000, the median housing value within St. Clair Shores was
$161,131. By 2010, median housing value fell to $137,900 (in
2010 dollars) – a decrease of nearly 15%. In the same period,
median gross rent decreased by nearly 10%, from $819 to
$742 (in 2010 dollars). Table 5 demonstrates the decline in
housing value and gross rent between 2000 and 2010. The
decrease in St. Clair Shores was much larger than that of
Macomb County and Southeast Michigan as a whole.
Table 5 – Median Housing Value and Gross Rent, 2000 - 2010
Median Housing
Value
St. Clair Shores
Macomb
County
Southeast
Michigan
Change
Median Gross
Rent
2000
$161,631
2010
$137,900
-$23,731
2000
$819
2010
Change
$742
-$77
$167,041
$161,800
-$5,241
$724
$733
$9
$174,166
$160,544
-$13,622
$782
$793
$11
Source(s): SEMCOG Community Survey, 2000 U.S. Census, and American Community Survey, 5-year estimates
State Equalized Value
State Equalized Value (SEV) is an indication of the value of
property in a community and is based on 50% of the “true”
cash value of property. The local assessor determines cash
value of all properties in the City. According to the Michigan
Department of Treasury, the overall State Equalized Value of
the City has steadily decreased since 2008. The loss in total
equalized value is the result of a decline in the value of real
industrial, commercial, and residential properties. Some of
the loss in assessed value may be attributed to the economic
downtown of 2008.
Figure 12 shows how the overall SEV of the city has declined
from $2,274,874,850 in 2008 to $1,377,101,595 in 2013, a
decrease of nearly 40 percent. In that same period,
commercial SEV declined by a rate of 36.8 percent and
industrial declined by a rate of 40.3 percent. Residential SEV
declined by 40 percent between 2008 and 2012. The rate of
decline has slowed over the past few years, however,
indicating that that property values may soon be on the rise.
17
Figure 12 – State Equalized Value by Land Use Class,
2008-2012
$2,500,000,000
$2,000,000,000
Industrial
$1,500,000,000
Commercial
Residential
$1,000,000,000
Total
$500,000,000
$0
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Source(s): State of Michigan Department of Treasury, 2014
18
PHYSICAL PROFILE
EXISTING LAND USE
An understanding of existing land use patterns is essential to
formulate a well-reasoned plan for the future. Mapping of
existing land use has been updated from aerial photographs
and field verification. The Existing Land Use Map, included
within this chapter, depicts the land development patterns of
the city.
Land Use Definitions
The following classifications have been applied to city land
uses:
•
•
•
•
•
Single and Two Family Residential: Low-density
residential areas characterized by single-family and
two-family houses.
Multiple Family Residential: Medium to high-density
residential areas characterized principally by
apartment buildings, townhouses, or attached
condominiums.
Commercial: Areas characterized by businesses,
including low-intensity neighborhood commercial use
types which serve, and are in proximity to, residential
neighborhoods and general commercial use types
along major transportation corridors and intersections.
Includes small and large retail stores, malls, restaurants
(with and without a drive-thru), gas stations, and
motels.
Office: Areas which include uses such as medical,
dental, veterinarian, real estate offices, banks, and
other similar uses.
Industrial: Areas characterized by light or heavy
industrial use, including warehouses, distributors,
manufacturing, and processing operations.
Physical Profile
Highlights
• Single/two-family
residential is the
predominant land use in
St. Clair Shores.
• The acreage for
commercial, multi-family
residential, parks and
playgrounds and public
/semi-public land use
classifications is similar,
ranging from 300 to 361
acres each.
• The city owns and
operates ten (10) major
buildings and over 250
acres of parkland.
• St. Clair Shores adopted
a ten year Capital
Improvement Plan (CIP)
in 2009.
19
•
•
•
•
•
Parks and Playgrounds: Areas devoted to recreation use,
including parks, playgrounds and outdoor open space.
Waterfront Marina: Areas designed to accommodate
commercial and recreational boating along with other
activities and services that support positive development
along the waterfront.
Public and Semi-Public: Areas containing public or semipublic uses such as schools, churches, museums,
hospitals, governmental buildings or other community
facilities.
Utilities: Areas dedicated to roadways, railroads, transit
lines, electric sub-stations, water and sewage treatment
plants, etc.
Vacant: Land not used for any of the above-defined
uses.
Land Use Acreages
Existing land use acreage by category is illustrated in Table 6. As
shown in the table, the predominant land use in the city is single
and two-family residential. The acreage for commercial, multifamily residential, parks/playgrounds and public/semi-public
land use classifications is similar, ranging from 300 to 361 acres. A
very small amount of vacant land is available for
redevelopment.
Table 6. - 2008 Land Use
Land Use
Residential (single & two-family)
Residential (multi-family)
Commercial
Office
Industrial
Public/Semi-Public
Parks and Recreation
Utility
Waterfront Marina
Vacant
Total
20
Acres
4,230
355
322
90
88
361
309
11
85
11
5,862
Percentage
72.2%
6.1%
5.5%
1.5%
1.5%
6.1%
5.3%
0.2%
1.5%
0.2%
100%
Map 1. - Existing Land Use
CC ll ii nn tt oo nn TToo w
w nn ss hh ii pp
14 Mile
Robeson
W I 94 E I 94
Masonic
Couchez
Brookwood
Greater Mack
Garfield
Furton
Arcadia
1st
3rd
4th
5th
6th
Lake
Gloria
Maison
Elmgrove
Maplegrove
Harper
Rosebriar
Taylor
Elmwood
Champine
Manhattan
Joan
Jane
Ursuline
Boston
Grant
Beste
94
Oakgrove
Jewell
§
¦
¨
Hughes
Angeline
Champine
Champine
Timberidge
Parkway
Share
Lakebreeze
Manhattan
CC ii tt yy oo ff RR oo ss ee vv ii ll ll ee
Saint Margaret
Briarcliff
Tanglewood
Lake
12 Mile
Single & Two Family Residential
Visnaw
Decker
Multiple Family Residential
Rockwood
Vogt
Nieman
Roy
Florence
Gladstone
Elba
Lake St. Clair
Manhattan
Ursuline
Princeton
Grant
Walton
Sunnydale
Utilities
Harmon
San Rosa
Vacant
Princeto n
Cubberness
Ursuline
Winton
Culver
Benjamin
Crowley
Harmon
Maple
Princeton
Star Valley
Wood
Culver
E I 94
Paloma
Valera
Lange
Revere
Paloma
Fresard
Nill
Stephens
Ursuline
CC ii tt yy oo ff EE aa ss tt pp oo ii nn tt ee
Waterfront Marina
Industrial
Ardmore Park
Frazho
Valera
Parks & Playgrounds
Public & Semi-Public
Greater Mack
Robin
Office
Glenwood
Ruehle
Shock
Little Mack
Rockwood
Elmdale
Manhattan
Jane
Joan
Ursuline
Stanley
Gordon
Crane
Briar
Stanley
Jay
Cedar
Ursuline
E I 94/ 11 Mile
696
Commercial
Grove
¦
¨
§
Meier
Grant
Larchmont
Joan
Sherry
Boston
Gaffke
Sussex
Scarsdale
Lawndale
Shores
0
1,000
Feet
4,000
2,000
Source: Base Map Information
from Macomb County
8 Mile
8 Mile
CC ii tt yy oo ff GG rr oo ss ss ee PP oo ii nn tt ee W
W oo oo dd ss
City of St. Clair Shores Master Plan
1-19-2016
Carlisle/Wortman Associates, Inc.
Ann Arbor, Michigan
21
COMMUNITY FACILITIES/PARKS & RECREATION
The City of St. Clair Shores owns and operates ten (10) major
buildings and several parks and recreation facilities. Map 2:
Community Facilities Map illustrates the location of the major
community facilities within St. Clair Shores. A description of
existing facilities is provided below:
City Hall and Municipal Buildings
Department of Public
Works Building
•
The existing St. Clair Shores City Hall was dedicated
March 24, 1957. It was totally renovated during 1998
and reopened in August of 1999.
•
The Department of Public Works Building was
completed in 1976, and consists of an administrative
building and a storage building.
•
The 40th District Court Building was completely
demolished and rebuilt during 2013. The new Court
building reopened in 2014.
•
The St. Clair Shores Library building opened May 20,
1959 and has undergone several renovations. The
library also serves as home for the Historical Society of
St. Clair Shores.
•
The historical Blossom Heath Inn served as the original
village hall, became the recreation and teen center,
and now serves as a fine banquet facility.
•
The Central Fire Station was opened in 1955. A
renovation and addition were completed in 1998. The
St. Clair Shores North End Fire Station opened October
7, 1956. The St. Clair Shores South End Fire Station
opened August 14, 1960 and was renovated in 2000.
•
The St. Clair Shores Police Station opened May 9, 1962,
with an addition completed in 1976.
Blossom Heath Inn
Leisure Manor II
22
•
Leisure Manor, a 120-unit independent living
apartment building, opened in October of 1972;
Leisure Manor II, a 91-unit senior complex, opened in
January 1985. Both are operated by SCS Housing
Commission, a direct HUD sponsored program.
Schools
St. Clair Shores encompasses the South Lake, Lakeview, Lake
Shore and L’Anse Creuse school districts. Four public high
schools are located within the city: South Lake High School, Lake
Shore High School, Lakeview High School, and North Lake
Alternative High School.
Hospital Facilities
St. John Health System operates an outpatient surgery center on
Twelve Mile Road near Little Mack Avenue. Several urgent care
clinics are located throughout the city.
Post Office
The St. Clair Shores Post Office is located on Greater Mack
Avenue, south of Nine Mile Road. It is an anchor in the NineMack downtown.
Coast Guard
The US Coast Guard Station, on the lake side of Blossom Heath
Park, opened in 1962 and was rebuilt in 1990 as a new and
greatly expanded facility.
Parks and Recreation
According to the St. Clair Shores Recreation Master Plan, the city
owns approximately 240 acres of parkland. The city operates 14
parks, including three waterfront parks, two large community
parks, five neighborhood parks, and several small pocket parks.
In addition, the city owns and operates the Civic Arena and the
Country Club. The city’s major recreation facilities are shown in
Map 2 and described on the following pages.
Parks and
Recreation Master
Plan
The 5-year St. Clair Shores
Recreation Master Plan,
adopted in 2011, contains
a number of goals and
objectives related to the
city’s recreational
resources. These goals
include:
• Maintain and upgrade
existing park facilities;
• Develop new park
facilities;
• Address the need for a
community center;
• Establish a city-wide
non-motorized pathway
system;
• Acquire future park land
and open space;
• Continue to offer
outstanding parks and
recreation programs
and service, and;
• Provide for the efficient
administration of parks
and recreation.
The 5 –year Parks and
Recreation Master Plan
can be found at
www.ci.saint-clairshores.mi.us
23
Map 2. - Community Facilities
w nn ss hh ii pp
mAlternative High School
n
Heights
mMasonic
n
Elementary School
Masonic
Brookwood
Manhattan
Harmon
San Rosa
Cubberness
Ursuline
Princeto n
Winton
Culver
Greater Mack
Vogt
Isaac Jogues
mSt.Catholic
n
School
s
:
9
Fire Station
U.S. Post Office
®
Parks and Playgrounds
Lake Shore Public Schools (Macomb)
Lakeview Public Schools (Macomb)
3rd
South Lake Schools
Park
Benjamin
Crowley
Harmon
Lange
Harmon
Revere
Paloma
Fresard
Nill
Wahby/Blossom
Heath
Park
Lawndale
Kaufman
Park
Shores
m
n
Frederick
Park
Avalon
Elementary School
m
n
South Lake
High School
® U.S. Post Office
!
Lake
nSouth
m
Middle School
Welsh
Park
Elmwood
Elementary School
m
n
8 Mile
City Hall, Library, Police & Courthouse
L'Anse Creuse Public Schools
n
m
Fire
s Station
:
9
8
Stephens
Herman Brys
Park
1st
4th
5th
6th
Gloria
Maison
Nieman
Roy
Florence
Gladstone
Elba
Lake
Saint Clair
Park
5
!
mElementary School
n
Paloma
Ursuline
Lake St. Clair
City Hall
Schools
Valera
Princeton
Star Valley
Wood
Culver
E I 94
Clair Shores
nSt.Montessori
m
n
m
Maple
Valera
m
n
Champine
Park
Ardmore
Ardmore
Park
Elementary
School
Sunnydale
m
n
m
n
Elementary School
Greater Mack
Rockwood
Manhattan
Jay
Robin
Grove
Ursuline
Princeton
Grant
Elmgrove
Maplegrove
Harper
Oakgrove
Elmwood
Champine
Rosebriar
Taylor
Glenwood
Shock
Gordon
Crane
Briar
Stanley
Ruehle
Elmdale
Ursuline
Stanley
Walton
Garfield
Furton
Arcadia
Lake
Private
Park
Redeemer
Lutheran
Kindergarten
mm
n
nJames Rodgers
Library
mn
n
mJefferson
Middle School
Police &
Lakeview Courthouse 5
nHigh
m
!
Scho ol
Princeton Elementary School &
Lakeview Schools
Administration
South Lake
Athletic Complex
Lake
12 Mile
Frazho
Senior Center
& Arena
Shore
n Lake
m
High School
Visnaw
Cedar
Ursuline
E I 94/ 11 Mile
696
Couchez
Angeline
Champine
Manhattan
Champine
Taylor
Jewell
Little Mack
Joan
Grant
Larchmont
§
¨
¦
Park
Violet
Germaine
nSt.Elementary
m
School
Meier
Greenwood
Elementary School
Veteran's
Memorial
Rockwood
Jane
Joan
Boston
Gaffke
Park
Sherry
s
:
9
8
lementary
mESchool
n
Gaffke
Sussex
Scarsdale
John Kennedy
School &
nMiddle
m
Community Education
Fire
Station
nElementary
m
School
Manhattan
Joan
Timberidge
Parkway
Share
Lakebreeze
Lake Shore ScDheockoerls
Administration
Jane
Ursuline
Boston
Grant
Beste
Tanglewood
Kampus
mMini
n
Kindergarten
94
Hughes
Briarcliff
Saint Margaret
§
¦
¨
Kyle
Monroe
Park
Robeson
St Clair Shores
Country Club
Born Center-North Lake
14 Mile
W I 94 E I 94
Joan of Arc
mSt.Elementary
n
School
8 Mile
W oo oo dd ss
Private
Park
City of Grosse
Pointe Woods
Park
0
1,000
Feet
4,000
2,000
from Macomb County
1-19-2016
Carlisle/Wortman Associates,
Inc.
Ann Arbor, Michigan
24
Waterfront Parks
Veteran’s Memorial, Lac Sainte Claire and Blossom Heath are
waterfront parks located on Lake Saint Clair. These parks
accommodate passive and active uses and are also used for
community events. Primary features include picnic areas,
beaches, boat launches, marinas and the community pool.
Blossom Heath Inn operates as a private banquet facility.
Large Active Parks
Blossom Heath Park
St. Clair Shores owns and operates Kyte Monroe and Herman
Brys Parks, two large community active parks within the city’s
interior. They are equipped with baseball and softball fields,
soccer fields, tennis courts, and basketball courts and are used
for organized league play and active sports.
The Capital Improvements Plan identifies several upcoming
projects for Kyte Monroe and Herman Brys Parks, including the
equipment and lighting upgrades and the installation of four
new irrigated soccer fields.
Veteran’s Memorial Park
Neighborhood Parks
The city has five modest-sized parks and two vest-pocket parks
which serve as a more immediate local destination. They have
play equipment for younger children and smaller-scale baseball
diamonds for organized leagues. The parks’ close proximity to
neighborhoods allows many users to walk.
St. Clair Shores Civic
Arena
Civic Arena Complex / Senior Activities Center
The Civic Arena building accommodates the Parks and
Recreation Department, Senior Activities Center, two ice rinks,
and activities rooms.
The Senior Activities Center offers a variety of passive and active
recreation programs. The Center has its own entry but is also
attached to the parks and Recreation Department.
St. Clair Shores Golf Club
25
St. Clair Shores Country Club
The Country Club is an 18-hole golf course, pro shop, restaurant
and banquet facility owned and maintained by the city. The
banquet facility underwent a large-scale renovation in 2014.
Multi-Purpose Facility
The Capital Improvements Plan identifies the construction of a
multi-purpose facility as an upcoming project. The facility is
anticipated to accommodate programs once conducted at
the city’s public schools, and will feature gymnasiums, gathering
spaces, exercise rooms and other functions.
Table 7. – Recreation Acreages
Park/Facility Name
A.
B.
C.
Total of 20 Neighborhood
Parks/Playgrounds and Elementary
School Sites
Total
Schools
Lake Shore High School
Kennedy Middle School
Lakeview High School
Jefferson Middle School
Princeton/Lakevi ew Adm. Offices
South Lake High School
South Lake Athle tic Complex
Total
City Parks and Facilities
Blossom Heath Park/Wahby Park
Lac Sainte Claire Park
Veteran’s Memo rial Park
Herman Brys Park
Kyte Monroe Par k
Alexander Park
Gaffke Park
Kaufman Park
Frederick Park
Welsh Park
Civic Arena & Ci vic South
Country Club
Total
TOTAL
Acres
57.9
16
16
8.7
6.6
7.1
12.5
14.5
81.4
18
10.8
15.4
17.3
35.4
.6
6
5
10
2
22
110
252.5
391.8 acres
Source: SEMCOG Community Profile
26
Water Service
Water service is provided by the City of St. Clair Shores Water
Department. The primary water source comes from the Detroit
River. Water is also supplied by the lower Lake Huron watershed.
Sanitary and Storm Sewers
The Department of Public Works is responsible for daily
operations and maintenance of the sanitary and storm sewer
system.
Solid Waste
The Department of Public Works contracts with a private
company for the collection of residential trash, yard waste, and
recycling pick-up.
Other Utilities
DTE Energy provides electric power service. Consumers Energy
provides natural gas service.
Capital Improvements
The City of St. Clair Shores adopted a ten year Capital
Improvements Plan (CIP) in 2009. A Capital Improvements Plan
is a blueprint for planning a community’s capital expenditures.
The CIP identifies purchases of physical assets or construction,
major repair, reconstruction or replacement of capital items,
such as buildings, utility systems, roadways, bridges, parks, heavy
equipment and extensive internal office needs which are of
high cost and have a longer useful life. The Capital
Improvements Plan is a means of implementing the goals and
objectives stated within the Master Plan.
Capital
Improvements Plan
The 2009-2019 St. Clair
Shores Ten Year Capital
Improvements Plan
identifies a detailed
schedule of improvements
and cost estimates for each
city department. Major
improvements identified
within the Plan include:
Parks and Recreation:
Civic Arena and Senior
Center gymnasium and
fitness center; multipurpose facility; soccer
fields at Herman Brys Park;
new bathhouse building at
Lac Ste. Claire Park;
renovation to Country Club
banquet facility
Public Works: Maintenance
of trucks and equipment;
replace and maintain storm
and Army Corps of
Engineers pump stations.
Streets and Utilities:
Annual repair and
replacement of streets,
water mains, sewer.
Police: Replacement of
Mobile Command Post;
new police station in 2018.
27
28
TRANSPORTATION
The provision of a safe and efficient transportation
system is essential to commerce and daily activities
and is a major consideration in a community’s
development. The city of St. Clair Shores is one of the
most highly accessible communities in Macomb
County. The transportation needs of the city are met
by interstates 696 and 94 along the city’s western
boundary, Eight Mile Road (M-102) to the southwest of
the city and several major thoroughfares including
Jefferson, Harper, and Greater Mack Avenues.
As a largely built-out community, the street system of
the city is essentially complete, and the opportunity to
add new links is limited. Therefore, future transportation
improvements must focus on the best use of existing
rights-of-way. Opportunities include managing parking
wisely,
traffic
calming,
access
management
techniques, and focusing additional regulatory and
redevelopment assistance efforts on primary travel
corridors.
Although the private vehicle will continue to be an
important part of the transportation system, the city
must also strive for a balanced transportation system
that gives people viable alternatives to driving,
including transit, bicycling, and walking. A further
consideration is the city’s unique location along the
shores of Lake St. Clair and its fourteen miles of canals.
Known for its “Nautical Mile” - a strip of Jefferson
Avenue between Nine Mile and Ten Mile Roads
featuring many retail establishments, boat dealers,
and marinas - future transportation improvements in St.
Clair Shores must continue to promote waterfront
Transportation
Highlights
• There are approximately
222 miles of road and 32
bridges within St. Clair
Shores.
• The locations with the
highest number of
vehicle crashes are
located along Nine Mile
Road between Greater
Mack and I-94 and the
eastbound I-94 ramps.
• Rear-end collisions are
the most common type
of automobile accident
within St. Clair Shores.
• Eight SMART bus routes
run through St. Clair
Shores.
• St. Clair Shores can
improve its
transportation network
by implementing access
management and
traffic calming
techniques.
29
activities, while emphasizing links among motorized
and non-motorized modes.
Furthermore, environmental considerations should be
incorporated into every decision to enhance the quality of
life.
The transportation element of this master plan:
•
Serves as a reference guide
transportation system within the city;
regarding
the
•
Sets a vision for future motorized and non-motorized
transportation needs within the city; and
•
Promotes a better understanding of the strong
relationship between transportation and land
development patterns and how planning can be
better integrated.
ROADWAY CLASSIFICATION AND RESPONSIBILITY
Planning agencies categorize and classify roads for a variety
of different purposes. Administrative jurisdictions identify roads
in terms of governmental responsibility for construction and
maintenance. Roadway classifications are also used to
determine eligibility for state funding and federal aid.
Functional classifications are used to group streets and
highways into classes, or systems, according to the character
of traffic service they are intended to provide.
Administrative Jurisdiction
Act 51 of the Public Acts of 1951, as amended, creates a
fund into which specific transportation taxes are deposited,
sets priorities for the use of transportation revenues, and
charges county road commissions with the responsibility of
classifying county primary and local roads. The classifications
developed by the county road commissions are subject to
Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) approval.
30
Roads designated as primary roads must be of “the greatest
importance.” This determination is based on traffic volumes,
primary generators of traffic served, and other factors.
MDOT, the Road Commission of Macomb County (RCMC),
and the city of St. Clair Shores share responsibility for the
operation and maintenance of the roadway network within
the city. MDOT is responsible for maintenance and
improvement of I-696 and I-94. While the RCMC has
jurisdiction over Harper Avenue and portions of Ten Mile,
Twelve Mile, and Fourteen Mile Roads. The remainder of the
roads fall under the jurisdiction of the city of St. Clair Shores.
By designating a road as part of the County Primary System,
State and Federal weight and gas tax revenues can be
obtained for maintenance. All public roads not classified as
interstate, state, or primary roads are local roads.
Functional Classification
The Transportation Plan Map presented in Map 3 introduces
the hierarchy of transportation routes based upon the
National Functional Classification (NFC) System. NFC is a
planning tool which has been used by federal, state and
local transportation agencies since the late
1960’s.
Functional classifications are used to group streets and
highways into classes, or systems, according to the character
of traffic service they are intended to provide. The NFC
designation also determines whether a road is eligible for
federal funds, either as part of the National Highway System
(usually limited to principal arterials) or through the Surface
Transportation Program. Federal-aid roads are, collectively:
all principal arterials, all minor arterials, all urban collectors,
and all rural major collectors (Refer to Map 3).
31
Ursuline
8 Mile
8 Mile
Valera
Paloma
Princeto n
Culver
Ursuline
Princeton
Walton
Frazho
Grove
Grant
Ursuline
Manhattan
Grant
E I 94/ 11 Mile
Stanley
Cedar Cedar
Ruehle
Shock
Little Mack
Gordon
Crane
Briar
Stanley
Robin
Jay
Greater Mack
Rosebriar
Taylor
Gloria
Garfield
Furton Furton
Arcadia Arcadia
12 Mile
W oo oo dd ss
8 Mile 8 Mile
Lake
Angeline
Greater Mack
Couchez
Angeline
Brookwood
Robeson Robeson
W I 94 E I 94 E I 94
Lake
1st
Champine Saint Margaret Saint Margaret
Manhattan
w nn ss hh ii pp
3rd
4th
5th
6th
Greater Mack
Gloria
Maison Maison
Elmgrove Elmgrove
Maplegrove
Oakgrove Oakgrove
Harper
Jewell
Elba
Rosebriar
Taylor
Harper
Champine
Masonic Masonic
Vogt
Nieman
Greater Mack
Florence Florence
Roy
Gladstone Gladstone
Manhattan
Elmwood
Champine
Timberidge
Parkway
Share
Lakebreeze
Roy
Grant
Beste
Hughes
94
Glenwood Glenwood
Gaffke Gaffke
Sussex
Scarsdale
Sherry
Ursuline
Joan Joan
Joan Joan
Boston
Boston
Jane Jane
Jane Jane
Rockwood
Grant
W I 94
§
¦
¨
Manhattan
Ruehle
Shock
Joan
Ursuline
Grant
Meier
Little Mack
Elmdale Elmdale
Rockwood
Joan
Ursuline
Grant
Larchmont
Meier
10 Mile
Harmon Harmon
San Rosa
Cubberness
Princeton
Ursuline Ursuline
Culver
Winton Winton
696
Princeton Princeton
Star Valley
Cubberness
Harmon
Wood
Culver
¦
¨
§
Culver
E I 94
Map 3. - Road National Functional Classification
14 Mile
Briarcliff
Tanglewood
Dorion
Lake
12 Mile
Lake
Decker
Visnaw
Interstate
Lake St. Clair
Principal Arterial
Ardmore Park Ardmore Park
Minor Arterial
Sunnydale
Major Collector
Frazho
Local
Lakeland Benjamin
Crowley
Maple
Valera
Lange
Revere
Paloma
Fresard
Stephens Stephens
Nill
Pleasant
Shores
Lawndale
0
1,000
2,000
Feet
4,000
from Macomb County
1-19-2016
Inc.
Ann Arbor, Michigan
32
Principal Arterials
These roadways are at the top of the classification hierarchy.
The primary function of such roadways is to carry relatively
long distance, through-travel movements. Examples include
interstates and other freeways as well as state routes
between larger cities. Principal Arterials include I-696, I-94,
portions of Twelve Mile and Fourteen Mile Roads, Harper, and
Jefferson Avenues.
Minor Arterials
Minor Arterials tend to accommodate slightly shorter trips
than principal arterials. There is some emphasis on land
access, and they may carry local bus routes and provide
intra-community
continuity,
but
do
not
penetrate
neighborhoods. Minor arterials include Greater Mack
Avenue, Nine Mile, Ten Mile, Eleven Mile and portions of
Twelve Mile and Thirteen Mile Roads, Martin Road, Little Mack,
and a portion of Masonic Boulevard.
Major Collectors
Major collectors provide access and mobility
within
residential, commercial, or industrial districts and connect
local roads to arterials. Major collectors generally carry more
traffic than minor collectors. Major collectors include Frazho
Road, Stephens Street, a portion of Masonic Boulevard, and
Marter Road.
Minor Collectors
Minor collectors also provide access amongst varying land
uses, but generally have less traffic than Major Collectors.
There are no minor collectors designated in the city.
33
Local Roads
Local Roads provide access to individual properties and
typically have moderate to low speeds. The remainder of city
roads are classified as local roads.
TRAFFIC COUNTS, CRASH LOCATIONS
AND ROAD CONDITIONS
There are approximately 222 road miles and 32 bridges within
St. Clair Shores. Map 4 illustrates the roadways with the
greatest traffic volumes and the intersections with
the
greatest number of crashes.
Rear-end collisions are the most common type of automobile
crash, as shown in Figure 13, below. Table 8. presents the
intersections with the greatest number of crashes. The top
two locations are located along Nine Mile Road between
Greater Mack and I-94 and the eastbound I-94 ramps.
Figure 13. - Crashes by Type in St. Clair Shores, 2009-2013
2500
2187
1970
Total Crashes
2000
1414
1500
1198
1000
566
500
82
0
Head-on
Angle or Headon/Left Turn
Rear-end
Sideswipe
Single Vehicle
Other or
Unknown
Crash Type
Source: SEMCOG Community Profile
34
Ursuline
6
8 Mile
7
Valera
Paloma
2
8 Mile
Statler
Blackburn
Princeton
Ursuline
Cubberness
Harmon Harmon
San Rosa
Princeton
Ursuline
Culver
Ursuline
Princeton
Stanley
Walton
Frazho
Cedar Cedar
3
10 Mile
5
Ruehle
Gordon
Crane
Briar
Stanley
Jay
Maple
Valera
Lange
Revere
Paloma
Trombly
Robin
Greater Mack
Roy
Gloria
Garfield
Furton Furton
Arcadia Arcadia
12 Mile
W oo oo dd ss
8 Mile 8 Mile
Lake
Greater Mack
!Couche!z
Brookwood
Robeson Robeson
W I 94 E I 94 E I 94
Lake
1st
Angeline
Angeline
w nn ss hh ii pp
3rd
4th
5th
6th
Greater Mack
Gloria
Maison Maison
Jewell
Elba
Maplegrove
Elmgrove Elmgrove
!
Champine Saint Margaret Saint Margaret
Manhattan
Masonic Masonic
Vogt
Nieman
Greater Mack
Rosebriar
Taylor
Harper
Oakgrove Oakgrove
Harper
Champine
8
Florence Florence
Rosebriar
Taylor
Elmwood
Champine
4
Gladstone Gladstone
Manhattan
Jane Jane
Boston
Joan Joan
Ursuline
Grant
Beste
Hughes
Timberidge
Parkway
Share
!
Lakebreeze
Roy
Glenwood Glenwood
Jane Jane
Rockwood
Joan Joan
Boston
Grant
9
Manhattan
Ruehle
Little Mack
Meier
Shock
Meier
Little Mack
Joan
Grant
Ursuline
W I 94
94
Shock
Elmdale Elmdale
Rockwood
Joan
Ursuline
Grant
Larchmont
Gaffke Gaffke
Sussex
Scarsdale
Grove
Grant
Ursuline
Manhattan
Grant
E I 94/ 11 Mile
696
Culver
Winton Winton
Sherry
Princeton Princeton
Star Valley
Cubberness
Harmon
Wood
Culver
¦
¨
§
Culver
E I 94
Wood
§
¦
¨
!
Map 4. - Primary Street Network
14 Mile
Briarcliff
Tanglewood
!
Dorion
Lake
12 Mile
Lake
Decker
Visnaw
Lake St. Clair
●
Frazho
Lakeland
0
!
Sunnydale
Ardmore Park Ardmore Park
#
Fire Routes
County Roads
Major Local Roads
High-Crash
High-Crash
Intersections
Benjamin
Crowley
10
Stephens
Nill
Shores
Lawndale
Pleasant
1
1,000
2,000
Feet
4,000
from Macomb County
1-19-2015
Inc.
Ann Arbor, Michigan
35
Table 8. – High Crash Intersections
Local
Rank
County
Rank
Region
Rank
Intersection
Annual
Avg
2009-2013
1
25
71
Harper Ave @ 9 Mile Rd E
33.8
2
79
234
22.6
3
82
244
9 Mile/W I-94 Ramp @ 9 Mile Rd
E
22.2
4
85
249
22
5
93
283
12 Mile Rd E @ Harper Ave
21
6
94
287
11 Mile Rd E @ Little Mack Ave
20.8
7
8
103
112
311
341
9 Mile/E I-94 Ramp @ 9 Mile Rd E
12 Mile/ E I-94 Ramp @ 12 Mile
Rd
20.2
19.6
9
10
129
134
410
425
12 Mile Rd @ Little Mack Ave
10 Mile/ W I-94 Ramp @ 10 Mile
Rd E
18.2
17.8
Note: Intersections are ranked by the number of reported crashes, which does not take into
account traffic volume. Crashes reported occurred within 150 feet of the intersection.
Source: SEMCOG Traffic Counts
Road Conditions
SEMCOG publishes annual information on major road
segments within St. Clair Shores. While the majority of
roadway segments within the city are noted as having
pavement in good or fair condition, there are a number of
locations where the concrete or asphalt is rated as poor.
Road Improvements
Through the use of federal gas tax revenues, the city has
performed maintenance of their local and major roadways
over the years. Annual maintenance programs include joint
sealing, pothole repairs, and patching.
According to SEMCOG’s 2040 Regional Transportation Plan
(RTP) and 2011-2014 Transportation Improvement Program
(TIP), and as shown in Table 9., a number of roadway
36
improvements
are
completed for SCS.
planned
or
have
been
recently
Table 9. – Roadway Improvements
Project Name
Project Limits
Proposed Work
Years
Various Roads
Region-wide
2014-2040
Various Roads
County-wide
Improve Safety
Resurface, Reconstruct
or Rehabilitate
Harper Avenue
13 Mile Rd. to 15 Mile
Rd.
Dequindre St. to
Harper Ave.
Rehabilitate roadway
2011
Signal Upgrades
2011
9 Mile Rd.
Dequindre St. to
Harper Ave.
Signal Upgrades
2011
14 Mile Rd.
Fisher
11 Mile Rd. To
Masonic
Improve Intersection
2011
Resurface
2012
13 Mile Rd.
Greater Mack to
West St. Clair Shores
City Limits
Rehabilitate roadway
and preventative
maintenance
2012
9 Mile Rd.
Frazho St.
Harper Ave. to I-94
I-94 to Little Mack
Reconstruct
Reconstruct
2013
2014
I-94
Stephens to 11 Mile
Rd.
Reconstruct
2014, 2016
13 Mile Rd.
I-94
2014-2040
Source(s): 2011-2014 Transportation Improvement Program, 2040 Regional
Transportation Plan
Fire Routes
A network of dedicated fire routes is established as shown on
the Street Network Map. These streets receive priority for
snow plowing and street clearance.
Public Transit
The Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transit (SMART)
currently provides fixed route bus service within St. Clair
Shores. The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), created
in 2012, coordinates SMART service with other transportation
37
systems in order to create a cohesive regional transportation
network throughout Southeast Michigan. SMART currently
provides the following bus service through St. Clair Shores:
Table 10. – Bus Routes in St. Clair Shores
Route Number
580
Route Name
Harper
610/615
Kercheval - Harper - Jefferson
620
635
Charlevoix
Jefferson Express
710
Nine Mile Crosstown
740
Twelve Mile Crosstown
780
Fifteen Mile Crosstown
Source: Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transit
Other services provided by SMART include Connecter Service
and Community Transit. Connector Service is an advance
reservation, curb-to-curb service. Community Transit is
operated by the City of St. Clair Shores Parks & Recreation
and the Senior Activities Center and provides service within St.
Clair Shores, to medical visits in surrounding communities,
Eastland, the Macomb Mall, and the Meijer in Roseville.
Approved points of medical service include William
Beaumont, Kresge Eye Center and Harper Hospital.
NON-MOTORIZED TRANSPORTATION
Sidewalks are provided along most streets, affording good
pedestrian access to parks, local schools, and other
community resources. Improvements addressing
the
American Disability Act (ADA) standards continue to be
implemented. The grid street pattern provides continuity for
bicycle travel in all directions.
38
Airports
Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to St. Clair
Shores include:
•
Detroit City (about 10 miles; Detroit, MI)
•
Windsor Airport (about 30 miles; Windsor, ON)
•
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County (about 38 miles;
Detroit, MI)
•
Oakland County International (about 38 miles; Pontiac,
MI)
Other public-use airports nearest to St. Clair Shores include
Cobo Hall (helicopter), Romeo and Ray Community Airports.
Rail
The Grand Trunk Railroad runs to the west of the city. Amtrak
stations near St. Clair Shores include:
•
Detroit (11 W. Baltimore Ave.) (15 Miles)
•
Royal Oak (201 S. Sherman Dr.) (18 Miles)
•
Birmingham (449 S Eton St.) (20 Miles)
OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHANGE
This section highlights a number of ways the city can
influence the function and character of its roadways.
Access Management
Access management is the process or development of a
program intended to ensure that the major arterials,
intersections and freeway systems serving a community or
region will operate safely and efficiently while adequately
meeting the access needs of the abutting land uses along
the roadway (FHWA, ITE, 2004). Implementing access
management techniques can help increase roadway
39
Access Management
to combat outdated
practices:
The main purpose of access
management is to ensure a
safe and efficient
relationship between the
road and surrounding land.
The long-standing
commercial argument is
that multiple driveways and
curb cuts are necessary to
maintain economic viability.
However, this argument has
created an environment
that is unsafe for any
roadway user – motorist,
bicyclist and pedestrian.
When customers must reenter the roadway to
patronize adjacent
businesses, the likelihood of
capturing “window
shoppers” is reduced, while
the possibility of a collision
increases. Thus,
encouraging shared
driveways and access points
enables a safer environment
for all users.
Adapted from the South
Carolina Complete Streets
Toolbook, 2010
40
capacity, manage congestion and reduce crashes.
Examples of less obvious benefits, in the case of businesses,
include: reduction in maintenance and other costs by
utilizing shared driveways or eliminating entrance/exit points
and increased road frontage and improved aesthetics as a
result of eliminating driveways.
There are a number of physical design and policy-related
tools and techniques that can be used to achieve access
management. Basic design principles that are used to
achieve access management include:
• Provide a specialized road system — Roadways should
be designed and managed according to the function
that they are intended to provide.
• Limit direct access to major roadways — Access control
is needed to preserve the traffic function of higher
volume roads serving regional through traffic. Local
and collector roadways require more frequent and
direct property access.
• Promote intersection hierarchy — A roadway network
should transition from one classification of roadway to
another. Intersection types should also reflect roadway
hierarchy.
• Locate signals to favor through movements — Proper
placement of signals allows for better coordination of
signals, continuous movement of traffic at the desired
speed and reduces delays.
• Preserve the functional areas of intersections and
interchanges — the “functional area” refers to the area
where motorists respond to the intersection or
interchange, decelerate, accelerate, or complete
turns. This area is required for safety and efficiency.
Access points too close to intersections or interchange
ramps should be avoided since they can result in
increased congestion and safety issues.
•
Limit the number of conflict points — Collisions and
mistakes occur more often when the driving
environment is complex. Simplifying the driving
environment by limiting the number of conflict points
among vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit
helps improve safety.
•
Separate conflict areas — Traffic conflicts can also be
reduced by separating conflict areas. Effective ways
include establishing minimum distances between
intersections and driveways, corner
clearance
standards that separate
driveways
from critical
approach areas of intersections, and encouraging
shared driveways. These types of techniques permit
less cluttered sight distance for the motorist, thus
allowing longer reaction time and improving safety.
•
Remove turning vehicles from through traffic lanes —
Vehicles typically slow prior to turning. When turning
vehicles are removed from through traffic lanes, better
traffic flow is maintained, roadway capacity is better
preserved, and safety is improved. This measure can
help address rear-end accidents, a problem along St.
Clair Shores’ corridors.
•
Use non-traversable medians to manage left-turn
movements — Research shows the majority of accessrelated crashes involve left turns. The use of medians to
channel turning movements to controlled locations is
effective in improving safety.
•
Provide a supporting street system and circulation
system — Well-planned communities with a supporting
network of local and collector streets, unified property
access and circulation systems are better able to
accommodate development.
Furthermore, interconnected street and circulation systems
better support alternative forms of transportation. For
example, a commercial strip development with separate
41
Traffic Calming Techniques
driveways for each business forces short trips onto arterial
roadways, thereby reducing safety and mobility. Conversely,
unified property access with a well-developed circulation
system for the same commercial strip development helps
prevent unnecessary trips and improve access (TRB Access
Management Manual, 2003).
In order for access management to be successful,
cooperation between property owners, local land use
authorities, and local, county, and state transportation
agencies is essential. In 2001, The Michigan Department of
Transportation
developed
an
access
management
guidebook and since that time has pursued a number of
statewide corridor access management plans.
Speed Bump
Traffic Calming
Traffic Circle/ Entryway
Mid-block Crossing
Traffic calming techniques use physical and visual cues to
encourage drivers to travel at slower speeds. Traffic calming
is intended to be self-enforcing, with the design of the
roadway providing the desired effect. When implemented
correctly, traffic calming has been shown to reduce traffic
speeds, reduce the number and severity of crashes, and
reduce noise levels. Other benefits of traffic calming are less
measurable and can include aspects such as improving
community livability. There are numerous devices and
techniques that communities have successfully used for
“traffic calming.” In some cases a single device may be
implemented, while in others, a combination of techniques
achieves the desired outcome. Some typical traffic calming
measures include:
•
Curvilinear Street/Chicane
42
Gateways / Entryways - A special entrance feature or
gateway has the effect of narrowing a street at the
entryway into a neighborhood. It helps create identity
to a neighborhood and increases driver awareness of
common neighborhood elements, like pedestrians and
children crossing the street.
•
•
•
•
•
Speed Bumps / Speed Tables - Speed bumps are
mounds of paving material placed across a roadway
for the purpose of causing drivers to reduce their
speed. Speed tables are similar to bumps, but are
constructed with a flat table in the center portion. Both
speed bumps and tables reduce speed and may
reduce traffic volume by discouraging cut-through
traffic.
Cul-de-sacs - Perhaps the most common form of traffic
calming devices are cul-de-sacs which represent a
complete closure of a street either at a location that
might otherwise be an intersection, or at mid-block
location. This technique has proven to be very
effective at reducing traffic speed and volume,
increasing the safety for all users of the right-of-way.
Alternative Pavement Surfaces - Alternative pavement
surfaces, such as pavers or cobblestone, have the
effect of increasing driver perception of a change in
driving environment. Alternative surfaces can be used
for the entire street or just for sections of the street.
Curvilinear Roads - Straight roads increase speed.
Curves, also accomplished through “chicanes”, break
up the driver’s line of sight and require the driver to
drive more alertly. This technique increases
the
potential for reduced traffic speed and volume,
thereby increasing safety on the road.
Roundabouts / Traffic Circles - A roundabout is a
circular barrier placed in the middle of an intersection
to restrict the movement of traffic through that
intersection. This tool tends to reduce driver speed by
interrupting the direct flow of traffic and requiring
turning movements. Traffic circles can also discourage
cut-through traffic. Circles can be landscaped to
reduce road impervious surface.
Typical traffic
calming measures
include:
• Gateways and
entryway, designed
to narrow a street
or neighborhood
entryway.
• Speed bumps or
speed tables to
reduce speeds and
traffic volumes.
• Dead ends or culde-sacs to limit
through-traffic in
residential areas for
very limited
situations.
• Alternative
pavement surfaces
to increase driver’s
awareness of the
area.
• Roundabouts or
traffic circles for
streets where
speeds, volumes
and safety are
problems but large
vehicle traffic is not
a concern.
• On-street parking
and street trees, to
help visually and
physically minimize
street width and
slow traffic.
43
44
ENVIRONMENTAL
LEADERSHIP
St. Clair Shores is a vibrant and engaging place to live and
work, where environmental and ecological resources can
play a role in creating a community that draws the best
workforce in the region. St. Clair Shores can be an
environmental leader, demonstrating to others how to
redevelop while embracing its natural resources, and making
wise use of energy resources.
A unique waterfront community, St. Clair Shores is home to
three lake front parks and over 14 miles of canals. Long
known as the “Pleasure Boat Capital,” it is now recognized
unofficially as a “gateway to the Great Lakes.” The
community’s waterfront is clearly its most dominant natural
feature, but St. Clair Shores is actually home to many
important resources.
Local units of government are the front line of environmental
protection and natural resource conservation. To that end,
this Chapter will establish the philosophy of environmental
sustainability in St. Clair Shores, framed around a series of
policies designed to make the most of the tools available to
the city.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND NATURAL FEATURE
PRESERVATION
Economic growth and environmental preservation are
elements that are commonly perceived as two forces that
must be at odds. Conversely, however, environmental
considerations have the ability to enhance economic
development. Efficiency reduces the cost of products and
45
services, and preservation of natural features increases the
value of developed properties.
The value of home sites adjacent to open space, parks,
canals, the lake, and other amenities is greater, all things
being equal, to similar sites not adjacent to such amenities.
LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT
Low Impact Development (LID) represents a different way of
thinking about stormwater. LID utilizes designs that manage
rainfall at the source using uniformly distributed, decentralized
techniques that infiltrate, filter, store, evaporate, and detain
runoff close to the source.
Under LID, stormwater runoff is not a waste product, but a
resource. For instance, LID techniques such as cisterns and
rain barrels use collected rain water for irrigation, or as gray
water for toilet flushing. LID also advances the idea that
almost all elements of a site plan (open space and built
features) can be used for stormwater control. For instance, a
parking lot can be made out of porous pavement. When
stormwater drains through the pavement, it recharges the
groundwater. Similarly, rooftops can be used as planting
areas, soaking up rainwater and reducing runoff.
LID techniques often cost less to construct than traditional
closed designs. Case studies conducted by the Low Impact
Development Center show a 25-30 percent reduction in site
development costs over traditional techniques. One reason
for the lower costs is that LID techniques keep stormwater on
top of the ground, rather than building underground
infrastructure to handle stormwater. Another reason is that
small infiltration areas are generally less expensive to
construct than one large detention area, particularly if the
site is designed to limit the amount of stormwater generated
by impervious surfaces.1
1
46
Low Impact Development Center, www.lowimpactdevelopment.org
The city of St. Clair Shores should engage its neighbors to
preserve features that cross more than one jurisdiction, such
as the waterfront, to be effective. Natural features provide
significantly more benefits if they are maintained in larger
units, such as a complex system of streams, canals, rivers, and
the lake. These larger, connected systems are
more
successful at maintaining their ecological integrity. The less
fragmented natural features are, the higher quality they
remain.
BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
The City Council established the Brownfield Redevelopment
Authority in 1996, expressing St. Clair Shores’ commitment to
redeveloping brownfield and other idle or underutilized sites
in the city. The Brownfield Redevelopment Authority can offer
financial incentives for cleanup purposes.
The Brownfield Redevelopment Authority may capture the
incremental real and personal property tax revenues
generated by a developer’s project to pay for eligible
environmental cleanup and contamination prevention
incurred on the property.
REDEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES
Ordinance regulations are the first line of environmental
stewardship in many communities. However, there are other
ways of encouraging sustainable development. The following
incentive-based
techniques
encourage
sustainable
development:
•
Fee adjustments for infill housing: Adjust or waive fees,
such as grading permit fees and water distribution fees,
47
if the property being redeveloped meets the definition
of residential infill.2
48
•
Smart Growth Zone: Developments in Smart Growth
Zones in the city of Austin, Texas are charged reduced
fees for zoning, subdivision, and site plan applications,
and for water and wastewater capital recovery fees.3
•
Primary employer incentives: Incentives such as
application fee waivers, utility and transportation
improvements,
streetscape
improvements,
and
expedited processing of development applications
can be offered to attract large employers.
•
Green Built Michigan: In partnership with Macomb
County and local builders, the city can promote best
known practices in energy, air quality, stormwater
management, and water efficiency
to give
homeowners added value and home builders a
competitive advantage. To stimulate growth in GreenBuilt-certified homes, the city can launch a design
competition, and highlight winners on their website.
•
Green Review: Proposals are guided by staff with
expertise in green development practices. Staff
provides assistance on sustainable development
techniques including green roofs, alternative energy
systems (solar, wind, geothermal), rain water collection,
resource efficient framing, recycled materials, and Low
Impact Development site design.
2
www.riversideca.gov/planning/infill.htm
3
www.ci.austin.tx.us/smartgrowth/sgincentives.htm
TRANSPORTATION
Improving opportunities for non-motorized transportation,
transit-oriented development, mixed-use, and technological
pathways will contribute to the changing mobility needs of St.
Clair Shores. Another transportation-based technique to
contribute to overall community sustainability is the
introduction of flex-fuel stations, facilities offering alternative
fuels, and electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.
The two fuel alternatives currently available to motorists are
E85 and Biodiesel. E85 is a mixture of 85 percent ethanol and
15 percent gasoline and is the most commonly used fuel
mixture for flex fuel vehicles (FFV). Most FFVs produce lower
carbon monoxide and dioxide emissions. Since E85 is
domestically produced, it helps reduce U.S. dependence on
foreign oil, and because it’s made from crops like corn and
grain, it is a renewable resource. While 53 stations sell E85 in
Michigan, none are located in St. Clair Shores. 4
Biodiesel is another alternative fuel produced from renewable
resources, such as soybeans. Biodiesel contains no petroleum,
but it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel to
create a biodiesel blend. It can be used in diesel engines with
little or no modifications. Biodiesel has lower emissions
compared to petroleum diesel, and since it is made in the
U.S. from renewable resources, it also decreases our
dependence on foreign oil and contributes to our economy.
There are 51 locations where a Michigan resident can
purchase biodiesel, none of which are located in St. Clair
Shores.
Natural gas is a third alternative in limited use around the
country for passenger vehicles. Compressed natural gas is
popular for power generation, but has not been widely
adopted in the United Stated for automobiles. Given the very
high octane of compressed natural gas, it is not suitable for
use in existing conventional combustion engines.
4 www.autoclubgroup.com
49
Electric vehicles (EVs) offer an environmentally-friendly
alternative to gasoline-powered cars. EVs offer many
benefits, such as increased energy efficiency, reduced
tailpipe pollutants, money savings with regards to gasoline
consumption, and a reduction in fossil fuel dependence.
However, batteries that charge electric engines typically only
last 100-200 miles before needing to be recharged. Electric
Vehicle (EV) charging stations charge the batteries located
inside of electric automobiles. Over the past few years, more
EV charging stations have appeared as a result of the
increased popularity of electric vehicles.5 According to the
Alternative Fuels Data Center, there are no EV charging
stations located within St. Clair Shores.6
GREEN BUILDING
Many states, regions and municipalities encourage the
development of environmentally sustainable buildings and
neighborhoods. Commonly referred to as “green building,”
this trend has been fueled by numerous organizations who
have worked to develop standards around which architects
and builders can design their projects. The most prominent of
these groups is the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.
The LEED rating system was originally designed for individual
buildings. LEED certification can be achieved through the
use of green techniques applied to new construction or
renovations to existing buildings, including historic structures.
Over 45,000 projects have either already been LEED certified,
or are registered and going through the certification process
in the U.S. Michigan has almost 500 LEED-certified buildings
including office buildings, university buildings, retail buildings,
churches, nature centers, and private residences.
5 http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/evtech.shtml
6 http://www.afdc.energy.gov/fuels/electricity_locations.html
50
Michigan is a national leader in the area of green building.
As of 2015, Michigan had a total of 543 LEED-certified
projects, the combination of which contains a
square
footage equivalent to 38 Empire State Buildings. An additional
512 projects are registered and awaiting LEED certification. 7
Many green buildings across the country have been
completed because the owner was self-motivated, based on
the benefits those buildings enjoy. However, communities
can also develop incentives to encourage green buildings
and green site design techniques. Incentives could include
property tax credits, tax abatement and tax exemptions,
density bonuses, expedited permit review, and waiving of
permit fees.
In addition to LEED, the National Association of Homebuilders
have developed their own, voluntary certification program
for residential construction, which the Michigan Association of
Homebuilders have adopted as part of their program known
as Green Built. Green Built is a program intended to allow
Michigan homebuilders to create more sustainable home
developments that are energy efficient and more respectful
of natural resources. The Green Built program requires that all
members who elect to secure Green Built status attend a 3hour Green Built training session. Green Built also provides
professional assistance to members.8
URBAN FORM AND NEIGHBORHOOD DESIGN
Neighborhoods can be designed to reduce energy
consumption by providing opportunities for shorter vehicle
trips and the use of alternative forms of transportation. Some
techniques include the locating of residential units near
neighborhood shops and existing utilities, the provision of
7
8
http://www.usgbc.org/advocacy/state-market-brief
www.greenbuiltmichigan.org
51
bicycle and transit facilities, and proximity to schools and
parks.
The U.S. Green Building Council has developed a program for
energy-efficient neighborhoods. The LEED Neighborhood
Development (LEED-ND) Program includes many site design
techniques that preserve natural features, habitat and open
space, such as:9
•
Limit parking to encourage people to use alternative
methods of transportation, like walking or bicycling.
•
Develop compact buildings and walkable, mixed-use
neighborhood centers.
•
Promote local food production to minimize the
impacts of transporting food long distances. Farmer’s
markets allow such goods to be sold locally.
•
Use energy saving technology for infrastructure needs
such as street lights, water and waste water pumps.
•
Capture and use stormwater runoff and use in place
of potable water for irrigation and toilet flushing.
•
Use recycled concrete and asphalt for roadways
and parking lots.
COMMUNITY ENERGY PLANNING
In light of rising energy prices, many communities are looking
for ways to reduce their energy consumption and their
carbon footprint. New ideas like community energy planning
are emerging to identify ways communities can reduce the
amount of energy they use. Community energy planning
also
encourages
communities
to
closely
analyze
transportation and land use planning in light of energy
efficiency and consumption.
9 http://www.cnu.org/leednd
52
St. Clair Shores may consider developing a Community
Energy Plan (CEP), developed as a separate document,
focused on energy efficiency and how the city can reach
energy goals. Unique features of a CEP include creating an
energy profile identifying where the community’s energy
comes from, how much it costs, and how it affects the local
and global environment. Involvement of local energy and
water utilities in the plan development process is also
important, since they may be involved in the implementation
of the plan. Elements that could be explored in a CEP could
include:
•
Land Use Planning and Transportation: Develop
compact land use patterns where a variety of uses
are mixed to increase alternatives to automobile
travel.
Strategies
may
include
contiguous
development patterns, parking plans, street design
and traffic rules, trip reduction measures, and
stakeholder participation.
•
Site Planning and Building Design: Use design
methods to improve energy performance. Strategies
may include building and appliance efficiency, solar
orientation of buildings, landscaping, wind shielding
and shading, pedestrian facilities and orientation,
and transit facilities and orientation.
•
Infrastructure Efficiency: Increase the use of energyefficient infrastructure and the production of energy
from regional or municipal facilities. Areas where the
city can analyze energy efficiency are water supply
and use, wastewater collection and storm drainage,
recycling programs, heat and power recovery, and
joint infrastructure planning and delivery.
Alternative Energy Supply: Broaden local and high
efficiency energy supply options. Strategies may
include waste heat utilization, heat pumps, co-
53
generation of heat and power, wood-waste systems,
solar technologies, and alternative fuels.10
10
54
http://www.wcel.org/issues/urban/sbg/Part1/integratedplanning/CEP.htm
PUBLIC
PARTICIPATION
PLACEMAKING WORKSHOP, MASTER PLAN
WORKSHOP AND MASTER PLAN SURVEY
This Master Plan was created through a collaborative effort
with city staff, elected and appointed officials, residents,
business owners, and other stakeholders to create a
collective vision for the city of St. Clair Shores. For the 2015
Master Plan update, St. Clair Shores officials, residents and
business owners participated in a series of Placemaking
Strategy Development Workshops. Public input received from
the 2008 Master Plan update was also incorporated into this
update.
The public involvement activities are described below along
with a summary of input received.
MiPlace Placemaking Strategy Development Workshop
Between May and June, 2014, St. Clair Shores held two
placemaking workshops at City Hall. Facilitated by MiPlace –
a statewide initiative that helps Michigan Communities enact
placemaking policies – the workshops covered a total of six
(6) placemaking modules:
1. People, Places and Placemaking
2. Economics of Place
3. Neighborhoods, Streets and Connections
4. Form Planning & Regulation
5. Collaborative Public Involvement in Placemaking
6. Applied Placemaking
55
During the workshops, the facilitators led a series of exercise
which asked participants to identify areas of the City on a
map which could benefit from placemaking projects and
policies, identify examples of such projects and policies, and
vote on the most worthwhile and most feasible projects. The
names of these activities included, but were not limited to:
1. Mapping Existing Assets;
2. What’s Missing in Downtown to Make it More Attractive to
Talented Workers & Visitors; and
3. Using Local Assets to Identify three Potential Strategic Placemaking
Projects.
Workshop participants identified the Nine-Mack District,
Nautical Mile, and the City’s lakefront parks as locations
which could benefit from placemaking projects and policies.
Information from these workshops were used to help shape
the Investment Area Plans found in Chapter 8. The full set of
results from these workshop activities is contained within the
Appendix.
Master Plan Workshop
On February 27, 2007, the city of St. Clair Shores City Council
and Planning Commission sponsored a planning workshop to
identify current and future planning-related needs and issues
that must be addressed to shape the future direction of the
city. Local residents, business owners, Planning Commissioners,
City Council members, and other public officials were
encouraged to attend to provide ideas on many land use
issues. The ideas gathered from this workshop were used to
develop community planning goals, land use programs, and
policies for the updated Master Plan. The results of the
workshop remain valid for this Master Plan update, and can
be found in the Appendix.
56
Master Plan Survey
A community survey distributed to residents in the November
2006 issue of the regular city news-letter “Inside St. Clair
Shores.” The basic results of each of the sixteen survey
questions are contained within the Appendix. The city
received 217 responses, the results of which remain valid for
this Comprehensive Plan update. The results of the Survey
remain valid for this Master Plan update, and can be found in
the Appendix.
57
58
GOALS AND
ACTIONS
This portion of the Master Plan establishes goals for the city
thereby setting forth the basis for action. The goals and
actions reflect the community’s concept and concerns which
emerged through the public input process and accomplish
the following:
•
Give direction to private property owners regarding
the physical environment.
•
Provide direction for more detailed analysis and
eventual changes in existing regulations.
•
Establish a framework to assist governing bodies and
staff in assessing the impact of their planning and
zoning decisions.
Goals represent a desired outcome; they are typically broad
and long-range. Actions are the detailed steps that should
be taken to achieve the stated goals. Goals were organized
into the following topics:
•
Residential Redevelopment and Neighborhood
Preservation
•
Mixed Use Development
•
Corridor Improvement
•
Industrial
and
Redevelopment
•
Waterfront Uses/Jefferson Avenue
•
Transportation
•
Environmental Leadership
Commercial
Reinvestment
and
59
Plan Coordination
The Goals and Actions
listed within this
Chapter should be
continuously updated
to align with the goals
stated within other
relevant local, regional
and state plans. These
documents include,
but are not limited to:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
St. Clair Shores
Recreation Master
Plan
St. Clair Shores
Capital
Improvements
Plan
Harper Avenue
Revitalization Plan
SEMCOG
Regional
Transportation
Plan and
Transportation
Improvement
Program
The Aging of
Macomb County
Initiative
Analysis of
Impediments to
Fair Housing
Choice
Macomb County
Trailways Master
Plan
RESIDENTIAL REDEVELOPMENT AND NEIGHBORHOOD
PRESERVATION
Residential neighborhoods in St. Clair Shores are wellmaintained places. The variety of home designs and large
street trees create unique and interesting residential areas.
The spectrum of housing ranges from large lakefront homes
to affordable bungalows and ranches to high-rise and lowrise apartments. Schools and parks are within convenient
walking distance for many homes.
The city has assets to promote: functional, well-maintained
neighborhoods, nearby businesses serving daily needs, parks
and school playgrounds sited throughout the city, and
committed leadership.
Despite these assets, two clear challenges face the city in the
preservation of its neighborhoods. First is the challenge of
retaining and attracting families. The modest house size of
the average St. Clair Shores home does not meet the space
needs of many of today’s families. Modest lot sizes lead to the
second challenge: limited opportunities for home expansion.
Based on public input from a community survey and an open
work session, residents were in general agreement on four
topics.
• Allow families to construct larger homes.
• Allow higher-density and mixed-use housing in
appropriate locations.
• Provide sufficient housing options.
• Retain schools as neighborhood anchors.
The goals set forth in this section aim to overcome the city’s
current residential challenges. These goals include: retain and
attract young families, allow a clear and convenient
approval process for home construction, and ensure that
neighborhoods are well-maintained.
60
Goal: Retain and attract younger families to
homeownership while preserving housing values ensuring
that the city will thrive into the next generation.
Action: Focus on providing walkable access to
neighborhood parks and recreation facilities, offering strong
assets to young families with children.
Action: Encourage the redevelopment of existing homes to
increase the supply of homes with more modern amenities;
such amenities can attract young families with modern
conveniences and expectations.
Brys Park - Neighborhood
parks are an amenity to
residents of all ages.
Goal: Provide an affordable, diverse housing stock that can
accommodate residents of all incomes, ages, and needs.
Action: Encourage the redevelopment of existing homes
and the development of new homes. Include adaptable
characteristics to allow homes that serve residents well into
more advanced age, allow seniors to live in city
neighborhoods longer, and not prematurely require
relocation of elderly residents to senior-specific housing.
Action: Find new regulatory methods to allow for the
expansion of existing homes on small parcels in order to
increase the marketability of single-family homes for more
established larger families.
High-quality townhomes can
be an attractive option for
young professionals, smaller
families and empty-nesters.
Action: Align housing policies with the recommendations
contained within the Analysis of Impediments to Fair
Housing Choice.
Goal: Use city resources to strengthen neighborhoods and
ensure that existing housing remains an attractive
alternative to other nearby communities, as well as a
regional leader in southeast Michigan.
Attractive and continuous
street trees can promote
walkability within residential
neighborhoods.
61
Harper Avenue
Overlay District
The Harper Avenue
Overlay District,
adopted in 2006, was
created to visually and
functionally strengthen
the Harper Avenue
right-of-way, create an
orderly visual image,
and foster a business
friendly redevelopment
climate.
The District sets
regulations and
provides
complementary
graphics for:
•
•
•
•
Action: Maintain residential street repair and streetscape
enhancement and ensure walkable, safe, attractive
neighborhood streets.
Action: Bolster City Ordinance enforcement efforts and
maintain high standards for blight reduction and
neighborhood aesthetics.
Action: Continually evaluate the city permitting procedure
for reviewing and regulating accessory structures, additions,
or renovations so as not to discourage the improvement of
existing homes to ensure that growing families will remain
within St. Clair Shores.
Action: Encourage the growth of park land and recreation
programs to supplement existing parks, waterfront areas,
and recreation facilities in the city.
Building
placement;
Building envelope;
Architectural
standards;
Streetscape and
landscape
standards.
MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT
Although several proposals have been submitted, the city has
not experienced mixed-use development as typically
envisioned – that of business and residential uses occupying
the same building. However, the city has many examples of
horizontal alignment with apartments situated adjacent to
businesses along its thoroughfares.
The city has embraced the concept of vertical mixed-use
and has set regulatory tools in place. The Harper Avenue
Overlay and Central Lakefront Development zoning districts
allow mixed-use buildings.
During public input sessions, residents offered the following
suggestions:
Harper Overlay
District building
placement graphic
62
•
Consider allowing mixed-use projects on Greater
Mack south of the downtown area.
•
Allow multiple-story buildings with residences
upper levels along business corridors.
on
•
Mixed-use development should be high-quality to
attract young professionals and to retain the senior
population interested in such units.
The goals and objectives within this section aim to attract
investors to construct mixed use projects.
Goal: Empower developers or re-developers to maximize
the utility of new and existing properties by permitting and
encouraging mixed-use development.
Live-work buildings allow
business owners to live above
their ground floor office or
commercial space.
Action: Develop new regulations which allow developers to
provide parking solutions, and recognize the spatial
limitations inherent within many of the city’s current
commercial areas.
Action: In select areas, permit new development types
which include live-work units and office units in combination
with commercial and/or residential units by right and
increase the probability that new housing and commercial
options are provided in the marketplace.
Action: Grant incentives to developers willing to redevelop
former outlots or problem sites for mixed-uses and turn
formerly detracting properties into community assets.
Outlot development can
transform formerly
underutilized parking areas
into new commercial, office
or mixed-use buildings
CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT
The city is structurally defined by a network of thoroughfares.
These thoroughfares delineate functional neighborhoods and
support the great majority of non-residential tax base. Each
corridor has a unique character cast by the land use pattern
that it supports.
Mixed-use buildings and
districts can be attractive to
young professionals and
help to create vibrant
corridors
The city has physically repaved and replaced many of the
corridors through the past two decades. Since 1990, Greater
Mack in the downtown area, Jefferson Avenue, Little Mack
Avenue, and Ten Mile Road east of Harper have received
63
new paving, street trees, and pedestrian amenities. Many of
the buildings have been in place since St. Clair Shores was
rapidly developed in the 1950’s, and they are now showing
signs of age.
Urban design guidelines can
be applied city-wide or to
specific districts or corridors
Harper Avenue
Corridor
Improvement
Authority (CIA)
St. Clair Shores
established the Harper
Avenue Corridor
Improvement Authority
(CIA) in 2007. The city
obtained its right to
develop a CIA from
Public Act 280 of 2005,
which is designed to
assist economic
development and
redevelopment in
established commercial
districts. Per the Act, a
CIA may:
• Hire a director;
• Establish a tax
increment
financing plan;
• Levy special
assessments;
• Issue revenue
bonds and notes.
64
During the public work session, participants were eager to use
design guidelines to improve visual quality, use financial
incentives to fill vacant buildings, and help with
land
assembly for new business.
The intent of the goal for this section is to improve physical
and visual conditions through regulatory means and to fund
improvements through tax increment financing. The actions
set forth are focused on corridor improvements and creating
identifiable districts. They are linked to the Industrial and
Commercial Investment Strategy goals and objectives as
much of the broader topic of economic reinvestment centers
on the corridor redevelopment.
Goal: Focus additional regulatory and redevelopment
assistance efforts on primary travel corridors and help them
remain relevant and competitive with regional shopping
and service centers. Assistance should be offered to
empower them to make a positive and lasting contribution
to the neighborhoods they serve.
Action: Continue to utilize the Corridor Improvement
Authority (CIA) Act to use Tax Increment Financing and
proactively improve the look and quality of commercial
corridors which will catalyze new development.
Action: Maintain and update the Investment Area Plan for
the city contained within this Plan..
Action: Ease the strain on parking issues by developing new
shared parking provisions or through the creation of central
parking areas.
Action: Develop site and architectural design guidelines in
addition to those in place on Harper Avenue. These design
guidelines should encourage proper massing and site
situation to promote a pedestrian-scale atmosphere where
appropriate, and create identifiable outdoor spaces at
community nodes along high-visibility community corridors.
Action: Consider all available financing options to stimulate
and capture new development.
INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL
REINVESTMENT/REDEVELOPMENT
The city continues to be active in securing reinvestment. The
challenge is balancing the increased lot depth required by
today’s
businesses
with
intrusion
into
residential
neighborhoods.
Investment Strategy
The Investment
Strategy can be found
within the Future Land
Use Chapter of this
Plan. The Strategy
contains
redevelopment goals
and actions for the
following areas of the
city:
• Nine Mile Road
Corridor;
• Ten Mile Road
Parkway;
• Nine-Mack
Downtown;
• Nautical Mile.
There is public agreement that creating and retaining jobs
should be a priority. However, conflict occurred as residents
wanted regional businesses to locate in St. Clair Shores but
did not want expansion into the neighborhoods.
The Future Land Use chapter contains a strategy section that
focuses on investment and reinvestment opportunities. The
strategy concentrates on Nine Mile Road, Ten Mile Road east
of Harper, Nautical Mile, and the Nine- Mack Downtown. This
strategy provides support for the goals and objectives.
The intent of the following three goals is to aggressively follow
a reinvestment/redevelopment strategy. The city should
continue expanding the use of flexible zoning regulations and
consider all available financing mechanisms as a means of
securing new development.
Goal: Aggressively recruit new industrial businesses and
maintain existing industrial businesses, tax base, and job
market in the immediate area.
65
Action: Form partnerships with new commercial or industrial
developers or entities interested and/or invested in St. Clair
Shores to help them succeed in the city.
Action: Retain existing industrial development and
encourage new industrial redevelopment by maintaining
an attractive industrial park, which rewards outstanding
With appropriate
architecture and site design,
industrial buildings can fit in
with and sometimes even
enhance adjacent
neighborhoods
Action: Use landscaping, site design, and other methods to
protect nearby residential areas from the potential harmful
effects of industrial development and tie buildings together
into identifiable districts.
Goal: Encourage new and innovative techniques for
commercial development and redevelopment to foster a
desirable, valuable, competitive commercial environment
which supports healthy residential neighborhoods.
Action: Develop flexibility in select locations for increased
building height dependent on the planned uses and
location of commercial development.
Local business institutions
should serve as the
foundation for the city’s
commercial nodes and spark
adjacent commercial
development.
Action: Broaden the uses and development types permitted
by right within select commercial and industrial areas,
streamline the development and redevelopment process
and create incentives to encourage the most desirable
development types.
Action: Retain existing local businesses that have been the
building blocks of commercial corridors to maintain stability
within commercial districts and build on this solid economic
foundation.
66
WATERFRONT USES/JEFFERSON AVENUE
Although the Nautical Mile district defines the city to regional
visitors, the waterfront is largely developed with single-family
residences. The waterfront is home to five parks (including the
City of Grosse Pointe Woods municipal park) and the St. Clair
Shores municipal campus. Jefferson Avenue provides the
thoroughfare access.
The community uniformly expressed agreement that
waterfront should be fronted by more public land.
request requires the city to purchase private land.
community also expressed interest in promoting
waterfront as an asset.
the
This
The
the
Private marinas along Lake
St. Clair are a regional asset,
but restrict local access to
the waterfront
The intent of the goals is to promote the waterfront as a
means to entice investment and to set St. Clair Shores apart
from the surrounding region.
Goal: Continue to capitalize on the city’s relationship with the
waterfront to differentiate St. Clair Shores from other
communities in southeast Michigan and solidify its identity as
a popular place to live, work, and play.
Large, private residences
along Jefferson Avenue dot
St. Clair Shores’ shoreline
Action: Encourage the provision of common open space
with waterfront access as new waterfront developments
occur.
Action: Support existing waterfront resources under the
city’s control to provide more readily and visible access to
the waterfront.
Action: Encourage
property.
redevelopment
of
underutilized
Goal: Cultivate a vibrant atmosphere along the Nautical
Mile to create a regional retail, dining, and recreation asset
for the community and beyond.
Champine Park, while small,
provides public views of Lake
St. Clair.
67
Action: Continue to encourage outdoor dining, later
evening hours, mixed uses, and planned community
activities within the Nautical Mile area to foster a livelier
district with regional visibility.
Additional signage can be
added along the Nautical
Mile to enhance wayfinding
as well as promote a sense of
place.
Action: Consider more engaging municipal and private
commercial signage in the Nautical Mile and use signage
as a way of invigorating the around-the-clock environment
and as a way of reinforcing an identifiable character in the
area.
TRANSPORTATION
Transportation Plan
The Transportation Plan
highlights a number of
ways in which the city
can achieve its
transportation goals.
The Transportation
Plan:
• Serves as a
reference guide
regarding the city’s
transportation
system.
• Sets a vision for
future motorized
and non-motorized
transportation
needs.
• Promotes a better
understanding of
the strong
relationship
between
transportation and
land development
patterns.
68
Action: Strengthen the feeling of a linear park along the
east side of Jefferson throughout the Nautical Mile by
increasing the frequency of pedestrian elements such as
benches and trash receptacles.
The City of St. Clair Shores is a place of low-density residential
neighborhoods. These are defined in great measure by
business corridors accommodating hundreds of small
businesses and many low-density apartment communities.
Schools, parks, and local businesses are within acceptable
walking and bicycling distances. The common use of
sidewalks promotes pedestrian use which is a desirable asset.
Conflicts are inevitable in an urban setting. Business corridors
are beset by many small lots, each served by one or more
driveways. Shared parking is found, but not universal.
Walkability is both desired and encouraged but not always
conveniently installed. This plan describes measures that can
be taken to minimize conflicts and balance the pedestrian
and vehicle use.
In a complex place where interaction between vehicles and
pedestrians cannot often be segregated, priority should not
be given to one form of transportation over another; rather,
efforts should be taken to improve all forms and systems of
transportation.
Goal: Maintain safe and efficient traffic circulation for
motorists and pedestrians.
Action: Study the access management and traffic calming
techniques described in the Transportation chapter for
applicability in St. Clair Shores.
Action: Prioritize and implement measures recommended in
the Master Plan as ordinances or as part of a Capital
Improvements Plan.
Action: Continue the program of replacing damaged
sidewalk and street pavement.
Traffic calming techniques,
such as this mid-block
crossing, can be used to slow
down traffic and increase
pedestrian safety.
Goal: Seek grants and financing opportunities to implement
sound traffic and transportation design.
Action: Monitor public and private grant availability and
pursue applicable funding opportunities.
Action: Consider all financing legislation and programs
offered by the State of Michigan and pursue applicable
funding opportunities.
Goal: Promote alternate modes of travel such as mass
transit, bicycle, walking, and trolleys.
The city can promote
alternative transportation
through “complete street”
policies, as discussed in the
Transportation Plan.
ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP
Access to Lake St. Clair, mature street trees, and miles of
canals are environmental assets that the city should and can
preserve. Stormwater runoff is a primary factor considering
the city’s proximity to Lake St. Clair and the regional
waterway system. The city is also preparing for significant
redevelopment. With redevelopment comes the opportunity
to put “green” building and site design measures in place. By
encouraging and putting new practices in place, the city
can become a regional leader.
69
Environmental
Leadership
The Environmental
Leadership chapter
lists a variety of policy
guidelines framed
around environmental
sustainability. The
chapter describes
policies related to:
• Economic
Development and
Natural Feature
Preservation
• Low Impact
Development
• Brownfield
Redevelopment
• Transportation
• Green Building and
Neighborhood
Design
• Community Energy
Planning
The Environmental Leadership Chapter describes many ecofriendly practices The following goals and actions give
direction to further study, fund, and champion eco-friendly
practice.
Goal: All new development, large-scale and infill, shall
practice environmentally-friendly design and building
techniques.
Action: Study the use of review and permit incentives for
those developments implementing environmentally friendly
practices.
Action: Consider applying the programs and techniques
described
in
the
Environmental
Leadership
and
Implementation chapters. A priority schedule based on
resource availability will be prepared.
Goal: Elected officials and staff shall engage its municipal
neighbors in addressing cross-jurisdictional methods of
sustaining the environment.
Action: Initiate
representatives
concerns.
a task force of elected and staff
to address common environmental
Action: The task force will aggressively pursue grants and
other funding opportunities as a joint consortium seeking
regional solutions.
70
FUTURE LAND USE AND
INVESTMENT AREA PLAN
The City of St. Clair Shores has witnessed many
changes in land use since the last rewrite of the
master plan. It has taken a proactive, flexible, and
visionary
stance
when
considering
new
development mechanisms previously unseen in
mass quantity, such as high-quality moderatedensity housing in the form of brownstones,
townhomes, and stacked units. The city strives to
provide high-quality places to live, shop, and work
for everyone. This plan makes a great effort not
only to provide alternative housing types and
business venues, but also to retain the single-family
residential neighborhoods and city services that
serve as the foundation of St. Clair Shores.
The future land use plan is just that - a plan.
Although the Planning Commission uses this as a
guide for zoning decisions and implementation,
unanticipated
occurrences
or
development
proposals necessitate that the plan be reviewed
often. State law requires review of the Master Plan
at least once every five years. This plan identifies
areas throughout the city not by land use, but as
districts. The Investment Area Plans (indicated on
the map and numbered within the text) highlight
particular areas of the city where more detailed
guidance for future uses and development patterns
are provided. More importantly, this emphasis
characterizes how the city functions, not simply
what it is. Direct comparison between existing and
future land use allocations is not possible with this
approach.
Future Land Use and
Investment Area Plan
Highlights
The Future Land Use Plan
identifies thirteen districts:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Traditional Neighborhood
Residential Lakefront
Southwest Neighborhood
Eleven Mile Boulevard
Ten Mile Parkway
Harper Corridor
Little Mack Corridor
(Medical Mile)
8. Nine-Mack Downtown
9. Greater Mack Corridor
10. Nautical Mile Marina
11. North of Masonic
12. Nine-Mile Corridor
(Motor Mile)
13. Stephens Industrial
Corridor
14. Public/Quasi-Public
Four of these districts are
highlighted as Investment
Areas, and are discussed in
more detail at the end of the
chapter:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Ten Mile Parkway
Nine-Mack Downtown
Nautical Mile Marina
Nine-Mile Corridor
(Motor Mile)
71
When planning for the integration rather than the
segregation of uses, comparative acreages become less
important than a resulting vibrant place. This approach
captures the essence of how the city views itself.
Fourteen districts, including four Investment Areas, have been
identified. Investment Areas are described in more detail at
the end of this chapter. The traditional single-family
neighborhoods will continue to provide the foundation of the
city for the twenty years that this plan projects out. Five
districts, and the great majority of city-wide acreage, are
devoted to residential use. An additional six districts are
mixed-use in intent and consider residential use a key
contributor to their well-being. Three are defined as nonresidential districts. The districts are individually described as
to their location, existing conditions, land use intent, and
specific planning considerations.
RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS
The Future Land Use Map identifies five residential districts.
Each residential district has an individual identity with distinct
architectural styles, lot sizes, and development patterns.
Locations: Traditional Neighborhoods are located throughout
the city. Individual neighborhoods are defined by primary
thoroughfares (Jefferson, Greater Mack, Harper, Little Mack
and I-94) and secondary streets (Marter, Stephens, Frazho,
Martin, Grossedale and Masonic).
Existing Development Pattern: Traditional Neighborhoods
serve as the core of the community. The land use pattern is
primarily comprised of detached single-family residences set
on modest sized lots (averaging 50’ X 120’) and on a grid
street pattern. Lots sizes fluctuate in size with a density
ranging from 5.0 to 7.5 dwelling units per acre.
72
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Map 5. - Future Land Use
14 Mile
E I 94
Robeson
W I 94
Saint Margaret
Tanglewood
Tim beridge
Brookwood
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Williamsburg
Masonic
Courtland Briarcliff
Parkway
Share
Angeline
Couchez
Lakebreeze
Couchez
Greater Mack
Champine
Champine
Dorion
Raymond
Jewell
Lincoln
1st
5th
6th
Gloria
Maison
Elmgrove
Oakgrove
Garfield
Garfield
Furton
Arcadia
Taylor
Rosebriar
Champine
Elmwood
Roosevelt
Maplegrove
Waldron
3rd
4th
Manhattan
Lake
DISTRICTS (Investment Areas)
Residential Districts (Primary Land Use)
Lake
12 Mile
Jane
Joan
Boston
Grant
Ursuline
Beste
Hughes
Visnaw
Decker
Gaffke
Kimberly
Jane
Rockwood
Joan
Thiele
Pineview
Sherry
Elba
Vogt
Nieman
Florence
Roy
Lac Park
Little Mack Corridor (Medical Mile)
Nine-Mack Downtown
Erben
Nautical Mile Marina District
Grove
Versailles
Ursuline
Sunnydale
Frazho
North of Masonic
Princeton
Non-Residential Districts
San Rosa
Statler
Harmon
Cubberness
Nine Mile Corridor (Motor Mile)
Culver
Winton
3
Ardmore Park
Jefferson
Walton
2
Greater Mack Corridor
Manhattan
Ursuline
Grant
Harper Corridor
Robin
Cedar
Larchmont
Gladstone
Glenwood
Stanley
Greater Mack
Little Mack
Rockwood
Elmdale
Ursuline
Jay
Manhattan
Shock
Hazelwood
Hazelwood
Stanley
1
Mixed-Use Districts
Briar
Stanley
E I 696/ E I 94
E I 94/ 11 Mile
Ten Mile Parkway
Rosebriar
Meier
Ruehle
Larchmont
Gordon
Crane
Grant
Hughes
Joan
W I 94
Beste
E I 94
94
§
¨
¦
Boston
Sussex
Scarsdale
4
Stephens Industrial Corridor
Benjamin
Princeton
Crowley
Public/Quasi-Public (located
within districts specified
above)
Maple
Valera
Valera
1
Paloma
Harmon
Revere
Star Valley
Ursuline
Princeton
Culver
Wood
Lange
Paloma
Trombly
Fresard
Nill
Stephens
Ursuline
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Blackburn
Lawndale
Shores
3
Lakeview
4
2
0
550
1,100
Feet
2,200
from Macomb County
12-17-15
8 Mile
8 Mile
Ann Arbor, Michigan
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73
A few neighborhoods are designed with a curvilinear street
pattern. The neighborhoods are fortunate to accommodate
a wide range of housing styles - one-story ranches, 1 ½ story
bungalows, two-story colonials, and a host of other
architectural types.
The city has 29 functional residential neighborhoods, although
these could become more numerous through a detailed
evaluation. Most neighborhoods have a park, school,
church, or a multiple-family community within it, adding
individuality, open space, recreation opportunity, and visual
richness. Neighborhoods are well-delineated by major streets
and non-residential development patterns. The contained
environments allow for individual neighborhood identities.
Land Use Intent: Neighborhoods will continue as functional
concentrations of detached single-family residences. The
classic one square mile pattern delineated by major streets
and accessed by a grid system of local streets is preferred.
Different neighborhood development patterns, if they
currently exist, are welcomed to redevelop in the existing
arrangement. Schools, churches, parks, and lower-density
multiple-family communities are acceptable parts of the
neighborhood
fabric,
provided
that
the
Planning
Considerations described below are applied:
Planning Considerations:
•
Churches, attached single-family, and multiple-family
development are restricted in location to the
perimeter of established detached-single-family
neighborhoods.
• Churches, attached single-family, and multiple-family
development have direct vehicle access to
thoroughfares.
• Churches, attached single-family, and multiple-family
development should connect to the neighborhoods
through the use of walks and natural open
space/parks where opportunity is presented.
75
•
Attached
single-family
and
multiple-family
development are designed with usable porches
fronting public streets and interior walks; incorporate
a mix of street trees, decorative trees, shrubs, and low
plantings; and use walks to connect to the public
sidewalk system.
•
Conversion or reuse of a school or church site to a
multiple-family or attached single-family use is
acceptable provided the density and scale remains
low, the height and placement of buildings
is
sensitive to the privacy of the abutting yards, and
traffic generation is reasonably constant to the
converted use.
Locations: The Residential Lakefront District includes the
Jefferson Avenue frontage from north city boundary to south
city boundary except for the Nautical Mile District. The south
part of the district expands to include neighborhoods located
between Marter and Jefferson Avenues.
Existing Development Pattern: Three distinct character areas
are found within this long and lineal district spanning from
Grosse Pointe Woods in the south to Harrison Township/Clinton
Township at the north. The North Lakefront is north of Eleven
Mile Road; Central Lakefront between Revere Avenue (south
of Ten Mile Road) and the City Hall campus (at Eleven Mile
Road); and, South Lakefront, south of the Nautical Mile
Marina district (Nine Mile Road). Each zone includes a variety
of land uses between Jefferson Avenue and Lake St. Clair
and the properties fronting the west side of Jefferson.
North Lakefront: The east side of Jefferson contains
detached single-family homes on very long lots. Shallower
lots due to the undulating shoreline are located south of
76
Lincoln Street. Individual communities of low–rise
attached single-family residences (four-unit or townhome
style) and a VFW post are intermittently located on this
side of Jefferson Avenue. The concentration of large
homes is unique to the city. These homes are not part of
any identifiable neighborhood and do not have a physical
or visual connection to the homes on the west side of
Jefferson. This area contains Veterans’ Memorial Park and
Champine Park, providing public lakefront access.
Detached single-family and duplex homes are situated on
the west frontage of Jefferson Avenue. These homes are
typically set on shallower lots. Two concentrations of
business uses are located along Jefferson between
Thirteen Mile Road and Millenbach Street (three blocks
south of Twelve Mile Road). Businesses include a pub, gas
station, convenience store, bowling alley, and medical
/professional offices.
The west frontage functions as part of the traditional
neighborhood to its west through sidewalk connection but
the development character is different enough to warrant
having a stronger link to Jefferson Avenue.
Central Lakefront: East of Jefferson Avenue, the land use
pattern is encompassed by detached single-family
residences. Although large estate-style homes can be
observed, the great majority are bungalows, ranches, and
colonials which are nearer in size to the traditional
neighborhoods found in the interior of the city. The homes
access a local street pattern which dead ends at the
lakefront. Closer to Ten Mile Road, cross streets provide
internal north/south circulation. Most of the residences
have canal access and a neighborhood park on Lake St.
Clair.
West of Jefferson Avenue, detached single-family
residences dominate the land use pattern. These homes
77
have a similar character to the development pattern in
the North Lakefront zone. Beaumont Hospital’s Shore
Pointe Village assisted living community is located in this
area.
South Lakefront: The South Lakefront area is south of
Nautical Mile and extends west to Marter Road. It is
defined by small single-family neighborhoods, a large
townhome community, shopping center, offices, the city
of Grosse Pointe Woods lakefront park, two large
churches, and a daycare facility. A shopping center at
the intersection of Jefferson Avenue and Marter Road has
recently been renovated. It contains a grocer, pharmacy,
bank, and other uses that serve the adjacent
neighborhoods. Three single-family neighborhoods are
located within this district.
Land Use Intent: The existing development pattern of the
Residential Lakefront neighborhoods should continue:
detached single-family, commercial, office and multiplefamily/attached single-family. An exception includes allowing
greater two to three story heights for mixed-use buildings in
the Thirteen Mile business node on the west side of Jefferson
Avenue from Francis Street to Avon Street. A second
exception includes redevelopment of the west side of
Jefferson Avenue from Raymond to Francis Streets and Avon
Street to Masonic Boulevard with moderate-density
brownstone or stacked flat-style housing (15-20 dwelling units
per acre). The exceptions should meet the criteria of the
following Planning Consideration.
•
78
Development of moderate-density residences shall be
confined to an orderly growth pattern starting at the
Thirteen Mile and Millenbach commercial areas.
•
Buildings will not exceed thirty feet in height.
•
Buildings shall be situated along a set build-to line as
established in the zoning ordinance.
•
Usable porches, connecting walks, and landscaping
will be used to improve public connectivity and
enhance the corridor.
•
Visual and physical intrusion into the adjacent
neighborhoods will be mitigated through sensitive
design application and adherence to screening and
landscape requirements.
•
The use of upper floors of non-residential buildings for
residential purposes is acceptable provided the ground
level remains as local business or office.
•
Conversion of school and church properties to
residential development is acceptable, provided that
traffic onto the adjacent neighborhood streets is
minimized to the greatest feasible extent possible, and
the height and placement of buildings is sensitive to the
privacy of the abutting yards.
Location: This triangular shaped area is physically separated
from the remainder of St. Clair Shores by the I-94 expressway
to the east and north. The District’s south and west
boundaries are defined by Eight Mile Road (City of Harper
Woods) and Beaconsfield Street (City of Eastpointe).
Existing Development Pattern: The Southwest neighborhood
is separated from the bulk of St. Clair Shores by the I-94
expressway. The neighborhood is primarily residential with a
balanced mix of detached single-family and lower-density
multiple-family buildings. An office complex is located at the
intersection of Eight Mile Road and Beaconsfield Avenue.
The three land uses (single-family residential, multi-family
residential, and office) are not intermixed except for a small
79
collection of single-family homes and multi-family units on
Chalon Street.
Land Use Intent: The existing development pattern should
continue, with detached single-family residential on Salisbury,
Parkside, and part of Chalon Streets. Multiple-family
residential should remain in place south of Ridgemont
Avenue and north of the Salisbury Avenue single-family
residences. The office use should remain in its current
location at the intersection of Eight Mile Road and
Beaconsfield Avenue.
Planning Consideration:
•
Continually
enforce
screening
maintenance regulations.
and
property
Location: The Eleven Mile Road frontage from Little Mack to
Jefferson Avenue is the focus of this district. This portion of the
corridor fronts the wide landscape boulevard.
Existing Development Pattern: This segment of Eleven Mile is
fronted by detached single-family residences, low-rise
multiple-family buildings, Lakeview High School, a few
commercial uses at the Little Mack and Harper Avenue
intersections, offices, Masonic Temple and the city campus
(District Court, Police Department, City Hall, Library, and Lac
Sainte Claire Park). Although many uses are located in this
segment, they are organized in identifiable concentrations.
All buildings are uniformly one to two stories in height. Eleven
Mile is one of three boulevards in the city.
Land Use Intent: The existing mixed development pattern
should continue, with detached single-family remaining on
the north side of Eleven Mile Road west of Harper, and
commercial and office use from Gladstone Street to Harper
Avenue. Future developments east of Gladstone Street
80
should consist of lower-density multiple-family or attached
single-family residences. The district court/police station and
Lakeview High School are integral parts of the boulevard
area and should remain. In the event that redevelopment of
these sites occurs, public or residential uses are appropriate.
•
New development shall conform to the established
front building line.
•
Residential development shall visually engage the
public street through the facade design, location of
usable porches, and connection to the public
sidewalk system.
Ten Mile Parkway (INVESTMENT AREA # 1)
Location: This district encompasses the segment of Ten Mile
Road frontage from Harper Avenue to Jefferson Avenue. Lots
accessed by the series of eight dead-end streets intersecting
Ten Mile are additionally included.
Existing Development Pattern: Detached single-family
residences occupy the majority of frontage. The residences
are modest in size, many constructed prior to World War II.
This is a high rental area with a rate of about 31 percent in
2012 The residential properties on the north side of Ten Mile
Road are around 300 feet in depth. Small homes on shallow
lots front on the south side of Ten Mile. Behind these homes,
several modest sized homes are accessed by eight short
dead-end streets An office park is located at the intersection
of Greater Mack and Ten Mile. Relocation of the public
sidewalk allows for a greater amount of greenway to the curb
line giving the area a parkway ambience.
Land Use Intent: Create a definitive street edge with more
intense development along the north frontage, featuring
higher-density stacked unit/brownstone style housing and
moderate-density attached single-family residences south of
81
Ten Mile. The rear half of the deep properties on the north
side of Ten Mile should be developed with lower-density
attached single-family units to provide a stepped transition to
the adjacent residential neighborhood. The Planning
Considerations (below) and Investment Area section at the
end of this chapter detail important design criteria.
As an alternative, multiple-story senior housing can be
accommodated on the north frontage. While the office park
is anticipated to remain, multi-family townhomes are
appropriate for the site.
Planning Considerations: This district is one of four investment
areas evaluated and planned for in greater detail at the end
of this chapter. The planning and design considerations set
forth in the investment area section are supported in this
future land use section. In summary, the criteria include:
82
•
Establish a build-to line along Ten Mile Road to
visually organize a uniform street edge.
•
Construct three stories on the north frontage with an
option to expand to four stories.
•
Construct two stories on the rear 150 feet of the north
side properties with an option to expand to three
stories.
•
Construct two story buildings south of Ten Mile with an
option to expand to three stories.
•
Prepare and use design guidelines or overlay
ordinance to set criteria for the height option, buildto line and landscape/design amenities.
MIXED-USE DISTRICTS
Harper Corridor
Location: This corridor includes the Harper Avenue frontage
extending from Eight Mile Road at the south to Masonic
Boulevard at the north. The geography is comparable to the
extent of the city’s Harper Avenue Revitalization Plan.
Existing Development Plan: Harper Avenue is delineated by
six miles of one-story buildings with the occasional two-story
building, typically a garden-style apartment. An established
building line near the sidewalk has eroded to an
indiscriminate mix of front setbacks. The land use structure is
primarily a mix of small retailers, restaurants and offices. Large
shopping centers are located at the Nine Mile Road and
Thirteen Mile Road intersections. A plan for revitalizing Harper
Avenue was adopted in 2003, with a follow-up overlay zoning
ordinance in 2006. The ordinance encourages resetting a
uniform building line, two to four-story buildings and mixing
land uses.
The streetscape has a wide lawn with street trees. Overhead
utility lines have been constricted to the west side of the
Avenue. A great number of drives and local streets
intersecting Harper cause hazards.
Land Use Intent: The mixing of uses as regulated by the
Harper Avenue Overlay zoning district should remain. As the
overlay ordinance permits, moderate-density multiple-family
(not part of mixed-use project) is acceptable throughout the
district except within one-quarter mile of the major
thoroughfares of Nine Mile, Ten Mile, Eleven Mile, Twelve Mile
and Thirteen Mile Roads. Design and performance items
identified in the Planning Considerations below are vital to
the vision.
83
•
Restrict buildings to two and a half stories except at
the Nine Mile, Eleven Mile and Thirteen Mile nodes.
Building heights can extend to four stories in these
locales.
•
The Harper Avenue Overlay District in the Zoning
Ordinance sets forth design requirements and
performance standards.
Little Mack Corridor (Medical Mile)
Location: This district encompasses the Little Mack Avenue
frontage between Stephens Avenue and Twelve Mile Road.
Existing Development Pattern: This district includes many
medical offices, including the St. John Hospital out-patient
surgery center (hence the nickname Medical Mile). Medical
office concentrations are found south of Benjamin Street
(north of Ten Mile Road), and north of St. Gertrude Street
(near Twelve Mile Road). Detached single-family homes
comprise a significant part of the frontage, especially north of
Benjamin Avenue. Businesses serving the local neighborhoods
are confined to the intersections of Ten Mile, Eleven Mile, and
Twelve Mile Roads, and Frazho and Martin Avenues. Lower
density two-story apartment communities and churches are
intermittently located. As with the other corridors in the city, a
wide greenbelt separates the sidewalk from the traffic lanes.
The residences and businesses are, for the most part, the
original land use. Medical office development is more recent
and continues to expand.
Land Use Intent: The mixed development pattern should
continue, but in a cohesive, organized manner as currently
exists. Expansion of office and attached single-family housing
is planned, but only south of Benjamin Street and north of
Gaffke Park (on the west frontage).
84
•
Continue to respect the existing land use pattern with
office and moderate-density residential from Stephens
to Benjamin Streets; from Gaffke Park/St. Gertrude
Streets to Twelve Mile Road; and within the local
business zoning districts.
•
Restrict local commercial business to property that the
current zoning map permits. In general, these areas
are located at the intersections of Ten, Eleven and
Twelve Mile Roads, the west side of Little Mack
between Frazho and Ardmore Park Street, and the
Martin Road intersection.
•
Commercial uses should stay confined to properties on
which they are currently located.
•
Prepare criteria for the reuse of church and school
property.
•
Building height should not exceed two and one-half
stories or equivalent height in feet.
•
Screening of non-residential uses as required in the
zoning ordinance shall be strictly followed and
enforced.
Nine-Mack Downtown (INVESTMENT AREA #2)
Location: A cross-shaped pattern following the Greater Mack
frontage from Englehardt Street to Laukel Street and Nine
Mile Road frontage from Pare Street to Defer Street.
Additional locations include property from Cavalier Drive to
Nine Mack Drive and property fronting Glen Court.
Existing Development
Pattern: The district features a
pedestrian-friendly downtown ambience on Greater Mack,
supplemented by the fabric of two-story and tall one-story
buildings set near wide sidewalks. A complementary business
85
mix of retail, entertainment, restaurant, office, grocer, South
Lake High School and the U.S. Post Office are interwoven or in
close proximity to one another. The downtown character is
compromised on Nine Mile Road west of Cavalier Drive
through the loss of building mass and along Greater Mack
south of Cavalier Drive through multi-family residential
developments and front-yard parking lots.
Land Use Intent: The downtown district shall continue as a
mixed-use environment of local commercial, retail,
entertainment, office and upper floor residential. Highquality, moderate-density multiple-family/attached singlefamily located on Greater Mack south of Colony. May
include condominium townhouses, lofts, garden apartments
or other attached residential options.
86
•
Building height shall not exceed three stories or
equivalent height in feet.
•
Locate buildings near the sidewalk.
•
Limit vehicle access to required minimum.
•
Construct wide sidewalks with street trees to promote
pedestrian use.
•
Adopt site and building design criteria in zoning
ordinance.
Greater Mack Corridor
Location: This segment of Greater Mack Avenue covers the
commercial and multiple-family frontage from the Nine-Mack
Downtown south to the City of Grosse Pointe Woods border.
Existing Development Pattern: This corridor is predominantly
lined with one-story commercial and office strip development
which continues into the City of Grosse Pointe Woods. The
local services and convenience goods provided by the
businesses primarily serve the adjacent neighborhoods. The
streetscape contains a wide grass strip with street trees
between sidewalk and street.
Land Use Intent: Multiple-family residential, commercial and
office uses will continue. Moderate-density attached singlefamily and multiple-family residences can intermingle with the
non-residential uses. Vertical mixing of commercial or office
use on ground level and residential or office use on upper
story of individual buildings is encouraged. The preparation
of design guidelines is important in order to organize the mix
of uses into an identifiable district.
•
New development should follow the established
building line.
•
Two- to three-story buildings are encouraged.
•
Residential development should front public streets
through the façade design, location of usable
porches, and connection to the public sidewalk
system.
•
Incorporate the desired development pattern into a
set of design guidelines.
87
Nautical Mile Marina (INVESTMENT AREA #3)
Location: The Nautical Mile District includes the Jefferson
Avenue frontage from Newberrry Avenue (south of Nine Mile
Road) to Rosemary/Beach Street (north of Ten Mile Road).
Although the Nautical Mile Tax Increment Finance Authority
area is included in this district, the reach of this master plan
expands north of Ten Mile Road.
Existing Land Development Pattern: The Nautical Mile Marina
is a regional destination with a spectrum of marina,
restaurant/nightclub, retail, office and low- to high-density
multiple-family uses, including a high-rise residential structure.
The development pattern is vastly different for the east and
west sides of Jefferson. The east side includes the marinas,
several restaurants and multiple-family communities. The
series of working marinas which provides a unique balance of
industrial, dining and residential users. The road network is a
series of dead-end roads – public and private.
The west side of Jefferson includes one- and two-story offices,
restaurants,
retailers
and
a
low-rise
multiple-family
development. In the late 1990’s, Jefferson was reconstructed
and significant public investment was made for a new
streetscape. The area is maintained through funding
collected by a Tax Increment Finance Authority.
Land Use Intent: Mixed-use based on performance criteria
located in the Central Lakefront Development District of the
zoning ordinance.
•
88
An economic development strategy, included by
reference as part of the master plan, provides
detailed recommendations for land use.
•
Construction of two story buildings is encouraged on
the west frontage. Three story buildings confined
near the Jefferson right-of-way are possible on
property exceeding 250 feet.
•
Traffic in the adjacent neighborhoods is minimized
but sound traffic design and management practices
take precedent.
North of Masonic
Location: This district is divided into two areas by the I-94
expressway. The larger portion is bounded by Harper
Avenue, Masonic Boulevard and I-94. The property north of I94 is bounded by the expressway and Fourteen Mile Road.
Existing Land Development Pattern: This district features a
collection of diverse and segregated land uses. Kyte Monroe
Playfield, St. Clair Shores Country Club, a light industrial
campus, small commercial businesses, a medical clinic, a
single-family street, multiple-family developments in the
center of the golf course, and an open-pit mining operation
(northwest of I-94) are include in the inventory.
Land Use Intent: The existing land use pattern shall continue.
This pattern includes:
•
St. Clair Shores Country Club
•
Kyte Monroe Playfield
•
Multiple-family within the golf course confines.
•
Commercial and office at the Harper Avenue
intersections of Masonic Boulevard and Fourteen Mile
Road, where currently exist.
•
Detached single-family residential on Robeson Street.
Two exceptions to the current development plan include the
industrial property north of Kyte Monroe Playfield and sand
mine north of I-94. These two areas do not have significant
physical relationship to residential neighborhoods and can
support light industry, research and development,
89
commercial, office and higher-density multiple-family
developments. The area directly north of Kyte Monroe can
potentially provide for park expansion.
•
Exercise design sensitivity along the edges separating
land uses.
•
Encourage
redevelopment
of
the
industrial
district/open-pit mine to capture greater
tax
revenue, with careful consideration to minimize
impacts on adjacent residential neighborhoods.
•
Redevelopment of the open pit mine can
accommodate multiple uses because of its isolation
and proximity to a county road and state highway.
The resulting lake from mining operations may
provide a central water feature for a higher-density
housing community.
NON-RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS
Motor Mile (Nine Mile Road) (INVESTMENT AREA #4)
Location: The Motor Mile segment of Nine Mile Road is
located between the I-94 expressway and South Lake High
School, east of Harper Ave., including the industrial park north
of Nine Mile; the segment was repaved in 2013.
Existing Land Development Pattern: This area is transforming
into a unique industrial and commercial district, featuring a
concentration of vehicle dealerships (Mercedes Benz and
Cadillac), light industrial uses, and unique business enterprises
such as pet boarding. The dealerships draw visitors from the
region, much like the Nautical Mile Marina district. The
industrial park north of Nine Mile, if developed in an attractive
manner, has the potential to draw a variety of new, unique,
90
but complementary light industrial uses. There is a dichotomy
of new, highly visible and visually interesting buildings, and
older buildings in need of renovation.
Land Use Intent: This area has the land mass ability to
capture regional retail, research and development, and
office uses west of Harmon Avenue. The property east of
Harmon Avenue provides opportunity to develop higherdensity mixed-use “hamlets” that physically, visually, and
functionally fuse with the Harper Avenue development
pattern.
future land use section. In summary, the recommendations
include:
•
Private land assembly to
developable lots is preferred.
consolidate
large
•
High-quality retailers that draw from the region are
preferred.
•
Improve visual appearance
Intersection/node.
•
Improve appearance of and open up permitted uses
within the industrial area north of Nine Mile; flexible
land use pattern to capture unique but
complementary uses.
of Nine-Mile/Harper
Stephens Industrial Corridor
Location: Stephens Road frontage west of Little Mack to
Ursuline Street.
Existing Land Development Pattern: Several small industrial
buildings are located on the Stephens Road frontage. These
include a graphics company, meat packer and contractor
facilities. This area has remained stable, but outdoor storage,
91
truck deliveries, and off-street parking create a congested
environment.
Land Use Intent: Light industry should continue in its current
location.
Planning Consideration:
•
Residential neighborhoods abut the industry on the
north and south. Screening and performance criteria
are essential to maintaining harmony between the
two distinct areas.
Public/Quasi-Public
Location: These uses are located on individual sites and are
integral parts of residential neighborhoods and business
corridors throughout St. Clair Shores.
Existing Land Development Pattern: Parks, schools, churches,
and civic uses are the anchors of St. Clair Shores, particularly
the residential neighborhoods. These uses contribute to the
quality of life through providing open space and recreation
opportunities.
Land Use Intent: These uses should continue, but design
considerations are necessary to minimize conflicts with
residential areas.
92
•
Consider surrounding land use context if/when
converting public land into private development.
•
Design policy and criteria are important to guide
development and retain a cohesive interaction of
traffic, building scale and density, and yard privacy.
93
INVESTMENT AREA PLAN
St. Clair Shores has a rich history of proactive planning. Over
the past few decades, the city has constructed a successful
golf course centered by a residential neighborhood, guided
the transformation of the Nautical Mile district, and
capitalized on opportunities described in the Harper Avenue
Revitalization Plan. Through its efforts, the city has discovered
many benefits to planning for redevelopment and
investment. Planning for investment allows the city to:
•
•
•
•
•
Establish a community-supported vision;
Adopt decision-guiding policies;
Identify a clear direction for the Community
Development Department;
Create Ordinances that regulate the vision;
Help private investors save time and expense by
providing them with a clear direction.
The city has identified four strategic “investment areas” in
which to concentrate investment efforts. This section
addresses areas that have not reached full economic
development
potential
and
identifies
reinvestment
opportunity sites within and visions for each area. The Plan
also identifies a potential pedestrian linkage system to
promote walkability between the investment areas. The
following investment areas are analyzed within this section:
•
•
•
•
Ten Mile Parkway
Nine-Mack Downtown
Nine Mile (Motor Mile) Corridor
See the appendix for detailed information on opportunity
sites, including site data, tax information, and additional land
use considerations
94
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Map 6. - Investment Area Map
14 Mile
E I 94
Robeson
W I 94
Williamsburg
Saint Margaret
Tanglewood
Brookwood
Timberidge
Parkway
Angeline
Couchez
Share
Champine
Dorion
Couchez
Greater Mack
Champine
CCCii tttyyy ooofff RRRooossseeevvviiilllllelee
Masonic
Courtland Briarcliff
Raymond
Jewell
3rd
5th
6th
Gloria
Maison
Elmgrove
Oakgrove
Maplegrove
Garfield
Investment Areas
Garfield
Furton
Arcadia
Taylor
Champine
Rosebriar
Elmwood
Roosevelt
Lincoln
1st
4th
Manhattan
Lake
Waldron
Lake
Ten Mile Parkway
1
Jane
Nine-Mack Downtown
Decker
Boston
Grant
Joan
Ursuline
Beste
Hughes
12 Mile
2
Gaffke
Kimberly
Thiele
Gordon
Joan
Hughes
Nine Mile Corridor
(Motor Mile)
Rosebriar
Beste
Pineview
Jane
Rockwood
Joan
Sherry
W I 94
Crane
Vogt
Elba
Roy
Nieman
&
&
&
Pedestrian Linkage
Greater Mack
Lac Park
Robin
Manhattan
Ursuline
Grove
Erben
Walton
Versailles
Ursuline
Ardmore Park
Sunnydale
San Rosa
Cubberness
Benjamin
Princeton
Statler
Harmon
Culver
Winton
Princeton
Frazho
Jefferson
Grant
Florence
Stanley
Gladstone
Jay
Glenwood
Shock
Stanley
Manhattan
Rockwood
Elmdale
E I 94/ 11 Mile
Ruehle
Stanley
Hazelwood
Cedar
Larchmont
4
Briar
Ursuline
Grant
Larchmont
Meier
Little Mack
E I 94
Scarsdale
Boston
Sussex
94
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Valera
Valera
Harmon
Star Valley
Paloma
1
&
Princeton
Ursuline
Culver
Wood
Lange
Revere
Paloma
&
Trombly
Fresard
&
Stephens
Ursuline
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Blackburn
Lawndale
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12-17-15
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8 Mile
8 Mile
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95
3
Investment Area #1: Ten Mile Parkway
Corridor
Description
Intent
Preferred Land
Uses
Site Design
and
Pedestrian
Considerations
• A corridor of low-density detached singlefamily homes between Harper to Jefferson.
• Serves as a gateway to the Nautical Mile
Marina District.
• Homes on the north side are situated on
lots of about 300 ft. in depth; The south side
has shallow lots of around 110 ft.
• An office park is located near the center.
• Approximately 40% of homes in this area
are rental.
• Ten Mile is a four lane thoroughfare in this
area.
• Create an appropriate street edge using
higher-density housing.
• Encourage 1-3 story moderate-density
attached housing; brownstone-style
townhomes and stacked flats.
• Density of 15-20 units per acre.
• High-quality, moderate-density attached
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
96
housing.
o Brownstones
o Stacked Flats
Senior Housing (North side of Ten Mile)
“Build-to” lines for building location.
Integrated system of walks, functional
porches, sitting areas, and other amenities.
Landscape standards for type, size and
mixture.
Lighting standards.
Pavement standards.
Building Height: Up to 2-3 stories.
High-quality building materials.
Approval of a bonus story for enhanced
design or pedestrian amenities.
Enclosed, rear-entry or side-entry garages.
Rear-yard or alley-accessed parking.
Provide visually attractive pedestrian
linkages to Nautical Mile and Nine-Mack
Downtown.
Ten Mile Parkway Opportunity Sites
Site
Opportunities
1
North-Side Properties: Extend Rosemary St. from Jefferson to Harper to create new developable lots and
split existing extra-long lots in half. Encourage two-story brownstone/townhome style development fronting
Rosemary St. at 15 units/acre. One story units okay subject to context-appropriate architecture. Encourage
appropriate landscaping and screening on south side of Rosemary due to newly created double-frontage
lots.
2
North-Side Properties: Encourage 2-3 story stacked flats facing Ten Mile at 20 units/acre. Provide bonus story
option for exemplary design, sustainable architecture or extra pedestrian amenities.
3
South-Side Properties: Encourage 2-story brownstone/townhome-style development fronting Ten Mile at 15
units/acre. No bonus story provision due to very shallow lots. Parking shall be provided via rear/side-entry
garages or open parking areas access off of dead-end side streets.
4
Office Area: Currently utilized as an office park. Promote planned multi-family residential development.
Encourage brownstone/townhome style units with rear-entry garages and screened parking. Provide open
space and public amenities.
Townhome Design Precedents
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Parking is preferable at the rear to avoid a street frontage dominated by garage doors.
Building design should step back massing to reduce the “canyon effect” of private streets or alleys.
Garages should be recessed from the wall plane.
Rear alleys and public/private streets should be lined with trees and planters to help soften the
appearance of multiple garage doors.
Building entrance features such as porches or stoops provide a “public face” and orientation to a building.
Use high-quality, durable materials and details on front, side and rear facades.
Incorporate massing variations and setbacks on the top floor to avoid a top heavy appearance for
buildings over two stories.
Source: Multi-Family Design Guidelines – City of Fremont, CA. http://www.fremont.gov/1263/Design-Guidelines
97
Investment Area #2 – Nine-Mack Downtown
District
Description
• A cross-shaped pattern following the Greater
Intent
• Area should continue to function as a mixed-use
Mack frontage from Englehardt Street to Laukel
Street and Nine Mile Road frontage from Pare
Street to Defer Street. Additional locations include
properties from Cavalier Drive to Nine Mack Drive
and properties fronting Glen Court.
• Pedestrian-friendly downtown ambience along
Greater Mack. Two story and tall one-story
buildings set near wide sidewalks.
• A complementary mix of retail, entertainment,
restaurant, office, grocer, South Lake High School
and the U.S. Post Office.
•
•
•
Preferred Land
Uses
•
•
Site Design
and
Pedestrian
Considerations
district, featuring a mix of local businesses,
restaurants, and offices.
Underutilized commercial/office and residential
uses provide opportunities for investment and
redevelopment.
Downtown businesses should be supported
through increasing the number of residents in the
immediate area by adding high-quality,
moderate to high density housing (15-25 du/acre).
Pedestrian connectivity should be provided within
Area as well as to other Investment Areas.
Mix of neighborhood-oriented commercial, retail
and multi-family residential.
o Personal service establishments
o Food and drink (excluding drive-thru)
o Banks
o Professional Office
o Multi-Family Residential
(Townhome/brownstone/rowhouses/loft-style
condominiums/mixed-use apartment buildings)
Multi-family housing shall have density between
15-25 du/acre with ground floor commercial, but
should complement the existing single-family
residential uses adjacent to the district.
• Encourage build-to lines to visually and
functionally strengthen the public right-of-way
• Building height: Three (3) stories or forty-four (44)
feet.
• Parking shall be located in the side or rear yards;
Shared driveways and shared parking is
encouraged.
• Curb-cuts shall be limited along Nine-Mile and
Greater Mack. Access should be provided via
existing driveways or side-streets.
• High quality architecture shall be emphasized
with generous window areas, recesses,
projections and architectural details.
• New developments shall feature pedestrian
amenities, such as benches, public art,
landscaping, plazas, fountains.
98
Nine-Mack Downtown Opportunity Sites
Site
1+2
3
4
5
Opportunities
Acres: 0.81 (1) and 2.86 (2)
Existing Land Use: Multi-Family Residential
Opportunities: Medium-High density multi-family residential (15-25 du/ac), senior housing, or mixed-use
development. 10-15 units and/or ground floor commercial/office. Allow flexibility in land uses and design.
Acres: 2.22
Existing Land Use: Office and Post Office
Opportunities: Medium-high density multi-family residential (15-25 du/ac) or mixed-use development. 25-40 units
and/or 17,500 sq. ft. of ground floor commercial/office. Townhouse-style or stacked flats development
(encourage porches or stoops, front green space, attractive architecture). Office and Post Office sites should be
combined for viable development.
Acres: 3.77
Existing Land Use: Vacant Elementary School
Opportunities: Medium-high density multi-family residential or independent care/senior living facility. 35-70 units.
Incorporate open space and public amenities.
Acres: 2.22
Existing Land Use: Senior Care Facility (St. Mary’s)
Opportunities: Medium-high density townhouse style development or senior care facility or mixed-use. 25-45
units and/or 18.000 sq. ft. ground floor commercial/office. Tie in open space and public amenities.
Precedents for Aging in Place
The traditional senior-housing model is that of a large self-contained, standalone facility with an extensive (and
expensive) variety of on-site amenities and services. However, as America’s baby-boomer population ages, there is a
need for a greater range of attractive senior living options. Instead of encouraging traditional, stand-alone facilities,
communities should promote embedding smaller senior housing within a mixed-use, walkable environment. With retail
amenities and services (i.e. pharmacies, medical offices, groceries) located within walking distance of senior housing,
seniors can “age in place” within their communities without having to lease a unit in an expensive all-inclusive facility.
More information regarding Aging in place can be found at www.planetizen.com.
99
Investment Area #3 – Nautical Mile Marina
District
Area
Description
• Jefferson Avenue from Newberry St. to
•
•
Intent
•
•
•
•
•
Preferred Land
Uses
• Medium to high-intensity mixed-use
•
Site Design and
Pedestrian
Considerations
•
•
•
•
•
100
Ten Mile; mix of marina, commercial,
office and entertainment uses.
East of Jefferson features mix of
condominium communities, large
marinas, restaurants, entertainment
venues and parks. Blossom Heath and
Wahby Park provide public recreation
and access to the lake.
West of Jefferson features mix of retail,
restaurants and offices.
Create a viable and lively waterfront
that is a center of urban
redevelopment and economic
growth.
Promote a functionally
interconnected lakefront community
of housing, offices, commercial
businesses, shopping facilities,
marinas, hotel/conference facilities,
and parks.
Preserve and expand the recreational
function of the lakefront by providing
significant public park and recreation
areas for lakefront activities. Improve
public waterfront access through
property acquisition and long-term
maintenance programs.
Open up underutilized
portions/vacant lots to new
development.
Encourage high-intensity, mixed-use
projects.
and theme-oriented planning
concepts.
Smaller parks within future planned
apartment, office and retail
developments.
Pedestrian
connectivity
between
mixed-use developments.
Incorporate smaller tenant spaces in
the front of large buildings.
Provide pedestrian-scaled features
inviting activity at the building front
using central landscape plazas or
sitting areas.
Reduce the visibility of parking areas
through location and landscaping.
Vary the building material using a
palette of durable material.
Nautical Mile Opportunity Sites
Site
1
Opportunities
Provide pedestrian linkage along Nine-Mile to Nine-Mack Downtown area. Define
and enhance the street edge via landscaping, pedestrian amenities (i.e. benches,
public art, signage), and lighting.
2
Improve “branding” and create a unified visual appearance for Nautical Mile along
Jefferson. Promote mixed-use, high-intensity development while expanding public
access to Lake St. Clair.
2
Provide pedestrian linkage along Jefferson to Ten Mile Parkway area. Define and
enhance the street edge via landscaping, pedestrian amenities (i.e. benches, public
art, signage), and lighting. Land use will remain primarily residential.
Nautical Mile Tax Increment Financing Plan
The Nautical Mile is located within a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District, which allows St. Clair Shores to capture
increases in property tax revenue within the District. The Nautical Mile has developed an economic strategy and TIF
Plan outside of the Master plan to reposition itself in the current marketplace. The TIF Plan sets planning principles
and provides a direction for new development within the Nautical Mile. Specifically, the TIF Plan calls for
collaboration between property owners and developers to create a mixed-use, interconnected, and vibrant district
and for the city to provide additional public waterfront access and recreational opportunities. Many of the
recommendations contained within the TIF Plan have been incorporated within this Investment Area.
101
Investment Area #4 – Nine-Mile Corridor
Corridor
Description
• Nine Mile Road between I-94 and South
Lake High School (east of Harper).
• Nine Mile Rd. serves as a primary
•
•
•
Intent
•
•
•
•
•
•
Preferred Land
Uses
Site Design and
Pedestrian
Considerations
102
east/west thoroughfare through St. Clair
Shores.
Links I-94 to Nine-Mack Downtown and
Nautical Mile Marina Districts.
Current Image is non-descript.
Many viable businesses line the street,
but lack street windows and inviting
façade and design.
Improve Nine Mile identity on a regional
perspective; Invest in public
streetscape.
Attract additional regional businesses.
Link and connect major districts of the
city.
Improve appearance of and open up
permitted uses within the industrial area
north of Nine-Mile, given appropriate
design.
Improve visual appearance of NineMile/Harper intersection.
Redevelop 3 of 4 corners at NineMile/Harper to announce important
intersection.
• Regional commercial uses.
o Generally recognized retail
businesses.
• Personal service establishments
• Food and drink (excluding drive-thru)
• Banks
• Office/Office Research and Technology
o Professional Office
o Incubator Prototype Development
o Laboratory
o Limited Industrial
o Live/Work Space
• Municipal Services
• Prepare design criteria and landscaping
requirements to increase visual
appearance of this entryway into the
city.
• Encourage shared parking and shared
driveways to provide continuous
streetwall.
• Side and rear yard parking shall be
required.
• Screen/buffer off-street parking areas.
Install public amenities (i.e. plaza,
pedestrian node) at corner of Harper
and Nine-Mile
• Museums/Artist Spaces
Nine Mile Corridor Opportunity Sites
Site
Opportunities
1
K-Mart Site. Kmart and the adjacent gas station are proposed to continue, but the Nine-Mile
and Harper frontages and properties along the south edge should be developed with a mix of
local business outlots. The Kmart parking lot is currently underutilized and contains unnecessary
impervious pavement. The site occupies 11.3 acres on the southwest corner of Nine Mile and
Harper.
2
Industrial Area. The industrial area north of Nine Mile contains a mix of light industrial and office
uses. This area can be transformed into a unique and appealing industrial area by opening up
the permitted uses to incubator-type developments and live/work space and requiring
attractive landscaping, outdoor pedestrian amenities, open space, and pedestrian
connectivity.
3
9-Mile/Harper Node. This intersection has the potential to serve as an entrance-way into the
Nine-Mack Downtown area. Corner properties should be developed with pedestrian entrances
facing the street and parking areas at the side and rear of the building. High-quality
architecture and design should be encouraged to visually distinguish this intersection from other
intersections within the city.
Innovative Industrial Design Guidelines
The City of Bencia, California developed design guidelines for their Limited Industrial Zoning District. The
guidelines intend to allow a flexible mix of land use by providing standards for attractive streetscapes and
developments and high quality building materials. Several guidelines include:
•
•
•
•
•
Integrate water quality features such as bioswales/retention basins in a cohesive and logical manner.
Plant shrubs, trees and groundcover to reduce the apparent mass of large, blank facades. Street trees shall
be provided.
Design the architecture of new buildings or additions to relate to neighboring buildings .
Provide variety to large, flat, uninterrupted expanses of exterior walls by incorporating recessed openings
and windows.
Create attractive and announced building entries visible from the street with direct pedestrian
connections.
Source: Bencia Business Park: Master Plan Overlay Design Guidelines for Limited Industrial Zoning Designation, 2010. http://www.ci.benicia.ca.us
103
104
ZONING PLAN
The overarching vision of the city’s Master Plan is to
strengthen
and maintain
a series of vibrant and
economically healthy
“places.”
However, disconnect
between this vision and the Zoning Ordinance may occur.
The Michigan Planning Enabling Act (P.A. 33 of 2008) bridges
this disconnect by requiring a Zoning Plan as part of the
Master Plan. The Zoning Ordinance is the primary land use
implementation tool available to the city.
ROLE OF THE ZONING PLAN
The Zoning Plan describes the relationship between the
future land use categories in the Master Plan and the
comparable Zoning Ordinance districts. This plan is required
by the Michigan Planning and Zoning Enabling Act (PA 33 of
2008). Not to be confused with the Zoning Ordinance, the
Zoning Plan provides generalized recommendations for
methods of bringing the Zoning Ordinance in closer relation
with the future land use vision. The Zoning Plan compares
zoning districts and future land use categories as well as the
intent and basic standards that control the height, area,
bulk, location, and use of buildings and premises in
comparable zoning districts. These matters are regulated by
specific standards in the Zoning Ordinance.
ROLE OF THE MASTER PLAN
The Master Plan sets forth the vision, goals, objectives, and
policies for growth and development in the city for next
twenty years. It includes strategies for managing growth and
change in land uses and infrastructure in the city over this
period. The plan is required to be reviewed at least once
Zoning Plan
Highlights
The purpose of the
Zoning Plan chapter is to
connect the Master Plan
to the city’s Zoning
Ordinance. The current
Zoning Ordinance
contains fifteen (15)
Districts:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
R-A, One-Family
General Residential
RA-L, One-Family
Lakefront
R-B, Two-Family
Residential.
RM-1, Multiple-Family
Residential
RM-2, Multiple-Family
Residential
O-1, Office-Service
District
CR, Commercial
Recreation
B-1, Local Business
District
B-2, Planned
Community Business
CLD, Central
Lakefront
Development
B-3, General Business
LI, Light Industrial
P-1, Vehicular Parking
R-F, Residential
Facilities
PD, Philanthropic
105
each five years. This chapter intends to guide the
implementation of and future changes to the Zoning
Ordinance.
ROLE OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE
The Zoning Ordinance regulates the use and development of
land. By Public Act 110 of 2006, as amended, the Zoning
Ordinance and Map are based on a plan designed to
promote public safety and general welfare and several
additional items.
DISTRICT STANDARDS
The Master Plan sets forth fourteen (14) future land use
districts. Six (6) of the districts integrate a range of mixed-uses
reflecting the land use pattern that has evolved over the
decades. These districts occur along major thoroughfares.
The Zoning Ordinance has fifteen (15) districts and one
overlay. The individual zoning districts largely segregate land
uses except for the CLD Central Lakefront Development
District. The Zoning Ordinance, in large part, describes a
segregated land use pattern. The Master Plan uses a more
integrated approach to land use categorizing.
The Master Plan resolves this gap by recommending the
adoption of mixed-use zoning districts and design guidelines
within the Zoning Ordinance. The city has previously taken
this step along Harper Avenue with the adoption of a mixeduse overly designation. The CLD Central Lakefront
Development District is a second mixed-use district adopted
in the Zoning Ordinance.
The format of the Zoning District and Future Land Use
comparison is to provide primary locations of respective
zoning districts, a summary of the zoning intent, and the future
land use districts that are impacted the greatest. One future
106
land use category may be listed in multiple zoning districts
due to the transition from the segregated to the integrated
approach.
The Master Plan recognizes that the current height, bulk,
location, and use of buildings and land are acceptable for
the short-term. The plan sets forth specific actions in the
Implementation chapter to evaluate current design
standards over a five-year period. The Planning Commission
will recommend modifications to support the vision of the
Master Plan if the need presents itself.
RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICTS
Zoning districts considered purely residential include:
RA One Family General Residential District
Location: This zoning district is located throughout the entire
city and encompasses the greatest amount of land acreage.
Intent: This zone is designed to be among the most restrictive
of the residential districts. Its intent is to provide for an
environment of predominantly low-density single-unit
dwellings along with other residentially-related facilities which
serve the residents in the district.
Future Land Use
Residential Lakefront.
Districts:
Traditional
Neighborhood;
RA-L One Family Lakeshore Residential District
Location: Lakefront properties from Bayside Drive to Harrison
Township (north) border.
Intent: This district is designed to maintain and continue
existing one-family residential character and density of
development. The intent is to ensure land use of
predominantly very-low density single unit dwellings along
with residential accessory uses and facilities to serve residents
107
in the district. This is the most restrictive of the residential
districts.
Future Land Use District: Residential Lakefront
RB Two Family Residential District
Location: Modest sized concentrations scattered throughout
the city and primarily fronting major thoroughfares.
Intent: The RB district is designed to afford a transition of use in
existing housing areas to more intense uses by permitting new
construction or conversion of existing structures between
adjacent residential and commercial, office, thoroughfares,
and other uses which would affect the residential character.
This district also recognizes the existence of older residential
areas of the city where larger houses have been or can be
converted from single family to two family residences in order
to extend the economic life of these structures and allow the
owners to justify the expenditures for repairs and
modernization.
Future Land Use Districts: Traditional
Residential Lakefront; Ten Mile Parkway.
Neighborhood;
RM-1 Multiple Family Residential District (Low Rise)
Location: Scattered throughout the city and several future
land use categories.
Intent: The multiple-family zone provides sites for multiplefamily dwelling structures, and related uses, which will
generally serve as zones of transition between the
nonresidential districts and lower density single-family districts.
The multiple-family district is further provided to serve the
limited needs for the apartment type of unit in an otherwise
low density single-family community.
108
Future Land Use Districts: Located in each future land use
district except the Nine Mile Corridor and Stephens Industrial
Corridor designations.
RM-2 Multiple Family Residential District (High Rise)
Location: Center of St. Clair Shores Country Club north of
Masonic Boulevard and east of I-94.
Intent: Designed to provide sites for high density multiple
dwelling structures adjacent to high traffic generators
commonly found in the proximity of large acreage
nonresidential development and areas abutting major
thoroughfares and expressways.
Future Land Use District: North of Masonic
MIXED-USE ZONING DISTRICTS
Two zoning districts are considered mixed-use. The Central
Lakefront Development District is a
self-contained
geographic area. The Harper Avenue Overlay District
extends the length of Harper Avenue from 8 Mile to 14 Mile
Roads.
CLD Central Lakefront Development District
Location: Jefferson Avenue and Lake St. Clair frontage from
Newberry Avenue to Revere Avenue (generally Nine Mile to
Ten Mile Roads).
Intent: The designated area will be developed in size and
complexity on a scale that goes beyond customary
residential, recreational, marina and marine-industrial uses.
Future Land Use District: Nautical Mile Marina
109
Harper Avenue Overlay District
Location: The Harper Avenue Overlay District extends the
length of Harper Avenue from 8 Mile to 14 Mile Roads. The
zone only encompasses those properties that front Harper
Avenue.
Intent: Implement the recommendations of the Harper
Avenue Revitalization Plan. The objectives are to visually and
functionally strengthen the public right-of-way space, create
an orderly visual image, and foster a business friendly
redevelopment climate.
Future Land Use District: Harper Corridor
NON-RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICTS
Zoning districts considered non-residential include:
O-1 Office Service District
Location: Scattered
thoroughfares.
along
the
frontages
of
major
Intent: Designed to accommodate office use, office sales
uses, and certain basic services.
Future Land Use Districts: Traditional Residential; Residential
Lakefront; Harper Corridor; Little Mack Corridor; Greater Mack
Corridor; and Nine-Mack Downtown
B-1 Local Business District
Location: Fronts much of Harper Avenue and Greater Mack
(south of Cavalier Drive). Scattered along the frontages of
Little Mack Avenue and Jefferson Avenue.
Intent: Provide for the day-to-day convenience shopping and
service needs of residents in adjacent or nearby
neighborhoods. It is intended that only low-intensity uses
which produce low volumes of traffic and noise levels be
110
permitted in the B-1 district. Furthermore, B-1 uses should be
developed at a relatively small scale so as to be compatible
with the adjacent or nearby residential uses.
Future Land Use Districts: Traditional Residential; Residential
Lakefront; Harper Corridor; Little Mack Corridor; Greater Mack
Corridor; and Nine-Mack Downtown.
B-2 Community Business District
Location: Eight Mile Road west of Harper Avenue; Harper
Avenue north and south of 13 Mile Road.
Intent: Provide locations for a diversified range of businesses
that primarily serve the comparison shopping and service
needs of adjacent and surrounding neighborhoods.
B-2 uses are generally developed as part of a planned cluster
of businesses, such as a shopping center, where the
businesses are served by a common parking areas and a
common means of ingress and egress.
Future Land Use District: Harper Corridor and Nine-Mile
Corridor.
B-3 General Business District
Location: Fronts much of Harper Avenue and the primary
zoning district for Nine-Mack Downtown.
Intent: Provide locations for a complete range of businesses,
including businesses designed to serve motorists and those in
transit. Generally, uses in the B-3 district serve the shopping
and service needs of those from a broad geographic area,
rather than from just the surrounding neighborhoods.
Future Land Use Districts: Harper Corridor and Nine-Mack
Downtown.
111
LI Light Industrial District
Location: Nine Mile Road west of Harper, Stephens Drive west
of Little Mack, Fourteen Mile Road.
Intent: Designed so as to primarily accommodate wholesale
activities, warehouses, and industrial operations whose
external, physical effects are restricted to the area of the
district and in no manner affect in a detrimental way any of
the surrounding districts.
Future Land Use Districts: North of Mason; Nine Mile Corridor;
and Stephens Industrial Corridor.
P-1 Vehicular Parking District
Location: Rear of businesses in the Greater Mack Downtown
and in a widely scattered pattern behind Harper Avenue
businesses.
Intent: Permit the establishment of areas to be used solely for
off-street parking of private vehicles as a use incidental to a
principal use.
Future Land Use Districts: Harper Corridor; and Nine-Mack
Downtown.
R-F Residential Facilities District
Location: St. Clair Shores Country Club property.
Intent: Permit the establishment of areas to be used for
activities serving residents of the area.
Future Land Use District: North of Masonic
CR Commercial Recreation District
Location: Two sites west of Harper Avenue near Nine Mile
Road.
Intent: Primarily accommodate indoor recreation uses serving
a large population area. The activities permitted in this district
112
often have operational characteristics which may have
adverse effects, or which may contribute to the blighting of,
or downgrading of the surrounding neighborhood.
Future Land Use Districts: Permitted in many non-residential
future land use districts but under strict design standards as
set forth by the Zoning Ordinance Intent.
PD Philanthropic District
Location: The zoning district is intended to be located
throughout the entire city.
Intent: Allow for specialized philanthropic, charitable and
related uses and facilities which are nonresidential in nature
and which will likely serve not only the city and the immediate
area, but a larger, more regional area.
Future Land Use Districts: Public /Quasi-Public
RECOMMENDED ZONING ORDINANCE TEXT ACTIONS
•
Prepare mixed-use overlay or PUD zone with design
criteria for the Residential Lakefront, Nine-Mack
Downtown and Greater Mack Corridor future land use
districts.
•
Adopt tree installation and preservation ordinance.
•
Prepare design criteria for multiple-family residential
buildings.
•
Review design criteria for
Development District and
changes.
•
Adopt conditional rezoning language.
•
Adopt requirements of the Unified Zoning Act (P.A. 110
of 2006).
•
Prepare access management standards.
the Central Lakefront
adopt recommended
113
•
Prepare criteria for allowing expansion of
residential uses into residential neighborhoods.
non-
•
Evaluate wireless communications ordinance.
•
Evaluate reuse criteria for schools and churches.
•
Prepare design criteria and streetscape guidelines for
nine-mile corridor, especially with regards to the
industrial area.
•
Evaluate the intents of each Zoning Ordinance district
in relation to the vision of the comparative future land
use districts.
RECOMMENDED ZONING MAP ACTIONS
114
•
Rezone Greater Mack Corridor to mixed-use
subsequent to preparing mixed-use design criteria
previously recommended.
•
Rezone Nine Mile Corridor from I-94 to Harper Avenue
where appropriate when redevelopment proposals
meeting Master Plan recommendations are presented.
•
Rezone Ten Mile Parkway appropriately when
redevelopment proposals meeting Master Plan
recommendations are presented.
•
Rezone
Jefferson
Avenue
commercial/office
concentration at Thirteen Mile Road to mixed-use
•
Rezone Nine Mile Road frontage from Glen Court/Alice
Avenue to Defer Avenue to mixed-use subsequent to
preparing
mixed-use
design
criteria
previously
recommended.
•
Rezone North Industrial District Sub Area as appropriate
when redevelopment proposals meeting Master Plan
recommendations are presented.
IMPLEMENTATION
PLAN
The city of St. Clair Shores’ Master Plan is a comprehensive
community policy statement. The Plan is constructed of goals
and objectives intended on guiding reasonable and realistic
development decisions. Realization may only be achieved
through cooperative efforts between the public and private
sectors. This chapter recommends a plan of action with the
purpose of reaching the vision set forth in this Master Plan.
The recommended actions are comprehensive in that they
require a spectrum of zoning, physical planning, economic
development, and nurturing leadership actions. This Plan
recognizes that all tasks cannot be focused on in one year.
Therefore, a manageable framework spread over a five year
period is provided.
The Plan should be annually reviewed. Planning values may
change over time and course correction may be necessary.
Although annual review is optimal, the plan recommends not
exceeding the five year review cycle as required by state
planning act.
To effectuate the land use vision, this chapter recommends
several actions – some modest corrective measures, others
special initiatives of a greater magnitude - but all important.
Major efforts include:
•
Revise the zoning ordinance at the appropriate
timeframe.
•
Prepare
and
annually
Improvements Program.
•
Conduct in-depth studies of the Investment Areas as
identified.
update
a
Capital
115
•
Utilize appropriate financial incentives to assist with
public investment and capture development.
•
Strengthen planning and zoning
elected and appointed officials.
knowledge
of
Actions fall into many timeframes. Some are best completed
in one year, such as zoning changes. Others should be
annually or continually undertaken such as nurturing
leadership. Depending on the action, efforts can or must be
completed sequentially or simultaneously. For example, a
revision to a mixed-use category on a zoning map should not
occur prior to the city adopting text setting criteria for the
mixed-use district.
IMPLEMENTATION TABLE
The following table indicates an appropriate timetable for the
recommended zoning modifications. The timetable is split into
three schedules: short-term, mid-term and long-term:
Short-Term: Recommendations to be implemented
within the first year after adopting the
Master Plan.
Mid-Term: Recommendations to be
implemented
within two to four years after adopting the
Master Plan.
Long-Term: Recommendations that will take five years
or longer to be implemented.
The
Implementation
Schedule
recognizes
that
an
implementable action will be continued through the life of
the schedule or until the action is re-evaluate
116
Table 11. - Implementation Schedule
Recommendations
ShortRange
Priority
MidRange
LongRange
Zoning Ordinance Text Actions
Prepare mixed-use overlay or PUD zone with
design criteria for the Residential Lakefront, NineMack Downtown and Greater Mack Corridor
future land use districts.

Adopt
tree
ordinance.
preservation

multiple-family

installation
Prepare
design
criteria
residential buildings.
and
for
Review design criteria for the Central Lakefront
Development District and adopt recommended
changes.


Adopt conditional rezoning language.
Adopt requirements of the Michigan Zoning
Enabling Act.

Prepare access management standards.

Prepare criteria for allowing expansion of nonresidential uses into residential neighborhoods.

Evaluate wireless communications ordinance.


Evaluate reuse criteria for schools and churches.
Evaluate the intent of each zoning district in
relation to the vision of the comparative future
land use districts.

Prepare design criteria and streetscape guidelines
for nine-mile corridor, especially with regards to the
industrial area.

Zoning Map Actions
Rezone Greater Mack Corridor to mixed-use
Rezone Nine Mile Corridor from I-94 to Harper
Avenue where appropriate when redevelopment
proposals are proposed that meet Master Plan
recommendations.


117
Recommendations
ShortRange
Priority
MidRange
LongRange
Rezone Ten Mile Parkway appropriately when
redevelopment proposals are proposed that meet
Master Plan recommendations.

Rezone Jefferson Avenue commercial/office
concentration at Thirteen Mile Road to mixed-use

Rezone Nine Mile Road frontage from Glen
Court/Alice Avenue to Defer Avenue to mixed-use

Rezone North Industrial District Sub Area as
appropriate when redevelopment proposals
meeting Master Plan recommendations are
presented.

Nurturing Leadership
The Planning Commission and the Community Development
Department are established as the coordinators and
communicators of development and land use information.
This is another safeguard to minimize redundancies in efforts,
to identify conflicting projects or budgets, or to foresee
enhanced opportunities.
Economic Development
The recommended actions are continual activities such as
promoting the city or using partnerships to secure grants.
These activities should be ongoing extending beyond the fiveyear schedule presented in this plan.
118
ADDITIONAL IMPLEMENTATION MEASURES
The Master Plan recommends considering additional
measures for stimulating re-development, calming traffic and
stewarding the environment. The extent of these subjects is
too broad to properly describe in the previous table:
Corridor Improvement Authorities
Public Act 280 of 2005 (the act) provides a community
development tool designed specifically for the commercial
corridors of Michigan. The Act allows communities to create
“Corridor Improvement Authorities” (CIA) which function in a
manner similar to a Downtown Development Authority (DDA),
but with special powers, conditions, and criteria unique to
commercial corridors.
The act is intended to combat the deterioration of existing
business districts and promote economic development efforts
within these districts. Unlike DDAs, communities are permitted
to create as many CIA districts as they wish, provided no
single parcel is located within more than one CIA district. A
distinction of a CIA district is the ability for adjacent
municipalities to develop a single CIA district for a corridor
that is located in more than one community.
An ordinance creating a Corridor Improvement Authority for
Harper Avenue was adopted in December 2007. This
economic redevelopment tool is the logical continuation of
the Harper Avenue Revitalization Plan adopted in 2003 and
supported by this Master Plan.
Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP)
The city can take advantage of this program to attempt to
gain funding for transportation enhancement activities. TAP
offers funding opportunities to help expand transportation
choices and enhance the transportation experience through
implementing a number of transportation improvements,
117
including pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure and safety
programs, preservation and rehabilitation of historic
transportation facilities, environmental mitigation activities,
and safe routs to school programs. MDOT and SEMCOG
make decisions after a local and regional process is
conducted. Efforts to seek Tap funds for various projects in the
city are recommended.
Tax Increment Financing, Public Act 450 of 1980
Tax increment financing is a means of funding infrastructure
improvements such as roads/sewers which are needed for
development. Bonds are issued by the community to pay for
the needed improvements and then paid off by capturing
the resulting increases in property taxes spawned by the
improvements.
Brownfield Redevelopment Act, Public Act 381 of 1996
The brownfield act allows communities to use tax increment
financing in order to analyze, finance and cleanup sites
where environmental contamination limits redevelopment.
Special Assessment
This method facilitates the funding of public improvement
projects through individual assessments of properties on an
equitable basis for benefiting property owners in a defined
district. This technique is common when funding road and
utility improvement projects.
Principal Shopping Districts and Business Improvement Zones,
Public Act 120 of 1961
This act authorizes municipalities to utilize the special
assessment
district
financing
mechanism for
the
maintenance, security and operation of commercial areas.
118
Funds can be utilized for a variety of activities including
redevelopment, maintenance, and promotional efforts. The
act also calls for a creation of a board to direct the various
improvement efforts.
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
St. Clair Shores should consider taking a leadership role in
promoting a clean environment. Short and long-range
techniques are presented in this section. The objective of
each technique is to inspire and engage citizens to take part
in sound environmental practices.
Hands-On Projects
One way to foster a bond between residents and a particular
natural feature, such as a canal or the lakefront, is to get
them involved in a hands-on restoration or clean-up project
on city-owned properties. Once people have been
introduced to the plants in the ecosystem, and the function
that those plants play, they have a greater understanding
and appreciation for that place. Hands-on projects give
residents a chance to learn about the ecosystems in the city.
Once the project is complete, interpretive signage should be
installed to describe the “why,” “what,” and “who” of the
project.
Maintenance of Parks and Recreation Facilities
Another relatively short-term effort is to ensure that the city
staff maintains parks and natural areas in an environmentally
friendly way. New alternatives for maintaining turf, ball fields,
roadways, and other elements of city parks are now
available. Better practices ensure that facility maintenance
does not negatively impact drainage patterns. A regular
evaluation of how city activities are done should be
considered in light of natural feature preservation objectives.
119
If practices do change, interpretive signage can be used to
inform the public of changes to a park’s visual appearance.
Planting Trees
Climate change and stormwater management are two
important environmental topics. One common thread
between these two is the impact trees have on each. Trees
sequester a large amount of carbon, a greenhouse gas. For
example, a 2.5 acre Oak woodland can sequester about 3
tons of carbon in one year. Trees also intercept and absorb a
large amount of stormwater. A typical woodland can absorb
20,000 gallons of rain in one hour through holding water on its
leaves and trunk, absorption into the tree, and absorption
into the deep leaf litter on the woodland floor. The city can
lead community planting programs and encourage
additional trees with incentive techniques in the Zoning
Ordinance.
Waste Reduction
The city could institute a waste reduction program for its own
operations. Waste reduction makes good business sense
because it saves money through reduced purchasing and
waste disposal costs. The US Environmental Protection
Agency has a program called “WasteWise” that provides
technical assistance to help develop, implement, and
measure waste reduction activities.
WasteWise is a free, voluntary, EPA program through which
organizations eliminate costly municipal solid waste and
select industrial wastes, benefiting their bottom line and the
environment. WasteWise is a flexible program that allows
partners to design their own waste reduction programs
tailored to their needs. Waste reduction makes good
business sense because it can save your organization money
through reduced purchasing and waste disposal costs.
120
WasteWise also offers publicity to organizations that are
successful in reducing waste through EPA publications, case
studies, and national and regional events. These events also
provide networking opportunities for organizations to share
waste reduction ideas and success stories.1
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM
Capital improvements programs consider the funding and
timing of all municipally-related capital needs including such
items as roadways, utilities, parks and recreation, City Hall
expansions, etc. Yearly ongoing review provides the
opportunity to keep the plan up to date and add new
projects.
PLAN EDUCATION
Citizen involvement and support will be necessary as the Plan
is implemented. Local officials should constantly strive to
develop procedures which make citizens more aware of the
planning process and the day-to-day decision making which
affects implementation of the Plan. A continuous program of
discussion, education and participation will be extremely
important as the city moves toward realizing the goals and
objectives contained within the Master Plan.
PLAN UPDATES
The Master Plan should not become a static document. The
Planning Commission should attempt to re-evaluate and
update portions of the Plan on a periodic basis. Per the
Michigan Planning Enabling Act (PA 33 of 2008), the Master
Plan must be reviewed once every five years.
1
http://www3.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/smm/wastewise/
121

city of st. clair shores master plan - St. Clair Shores, MI

Transcription

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